Kenny Klein, the long-time Louisville sports information director who worked along two Hall-of-Fame basketball coaches before following one to St. John’s, has passed away at 66 after a reported choking incident.
His family confirmed his passing on Thursday, although a cause of death wasn’t initially reported.
University of Louisville athletics director Josh Heird previously revealed during a June 18 athletic association board meeting that Klein suffered ‘a pretty tragic event a week ago’ and was ‘battling to survive,’ according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
Since then, numerous reports have surfaced claiming Klein had a choking episode at a Louisville restaurant. He never regained consciousness, according to WDRB.com.
Klein began working at Louisville in 1983, serving as the primary spokesperson for basketball coach and future Hall of Famer Denny Crum. He would go on to work for the Cardinals for 39 years, while logging 1,309 consecutive games.
In 2001, he began working closely with another Hall of Famer in coach Rick Pitino, who regularly referred to Klein as his ‘main man.’
Klein is pictured alongside Hall-of-Fame coach Rick Pitino, who called him his ‘main man’
‘Would like to thank so many people for their hopes and prayers regarding Kenny Klein,’ Pitino wrote on X days before Klein’s passing. ‘We all love him so much and our hearts are totally broken. We will know a final outcome in the coming days. It’s really a difficult time but we will get through this together. His wife and children thank you so much for your concern.’
Klein was with Pitino during good times, such as Louisville’s 2013 NCAA championship victory, and bad, like when that title was vacated by over accusations that the program arranged strippers and sex acts for recruits.
‘You just try to be truthful and just try to work your way through it,’ Klein told The Courier Journal in 2022 about navigating the scandal. ‘It’s not something that anybody necessarily would enjoy, I would think, but you understand that that’s part of it.’
A few years later, another pay-for-play scandal would rock Pitino, who was let go by Louisville in 2017 and ultimately moved to the Greek league and national team, Iona and St. John’s, where he was reunited with Klein.
When SJU’s SID suffered a health issue during the 2024-25 season, Pitino reached out to Klein, who graciously went to New York and later received a Rolex from the coach as a token of his appreciation. Previously, Pitino had gifted Klein a red Lexus IS 350 convertible for his 50th birthday, according to the Courier Journal.
While Pitino celebrated his second national title win, Klein sprang into action in 2013
Klein is survived by his wife, Donna, as well as sons Alex and Brady, and his three grandchildren.
‘Kenny is the best of the best,’ veteran WNBC New York sports anchor Bruce Beck wrote on X. ‘[An] incredible PR man – an even finer human being. Thoughts and prayers for this legend.’
‘Still difficult to process Kenny’s loss,’ ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote on X. ‘A consummate professional, wonderful company and carried a joy for promoting the schools and athletes he worked with. Prayers with his family. Our sports world lost a bright light.’
Several reporters described Klein as ‘the best’ in the business.
‘Everything you’ve read today about Kenny Klein being as kind in real life as you hoped he’d be was true x 10,’ veteran Cardinals reporter Muke Rutherford wrote on X. ‘The fact that he not only put up with all my s*** but [thoroughly] enjoyed it made me so happy.’
