From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Born in Louisville, KY, Thomas R. Payne, Jr. was the first African American recruited and signed to play basketball at the University of Kentucky (UK) in 1969. A 7'2" center, he had played for Shawnee High School* in Louisville.

UK had tried to recruit 15 African American players, but Payne was the first to accept the offer. He averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds during the 1970-1971 season, earned All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors, and helped guide Kentucky to an SEC regular-season title, then went pro, signing with the Atlanta Hawks.

In 1972 Payne was convicted of rape in Georgia and Kentucky and spent the next 11 years in prison. He tried to return to basketball but was again convicted of rape in California in 1986, then paroled in January 2019. See his turnaround work with Transformational Victories.

For more see John Feinstein, "A Journey of Payne: Jailbird's Life to a Catbird's Seat," The Washington Post, 1/24/1984; J. R. McGill, "Kentucky a Leader in Integrating SEC Sports," Lexington Herald-Leader, 3/31/1990, Sports section, p. D14; M. Story, "Prison Awaits Payne in Kentucky," Lexington Herald-Leader, 6/2/2000, Sports section, p. C1; and Larry Vaught, "Despite All That Happened, Tom Payne Proud He Played Basketball at Kentucky," Marshall County Daily, July 26, 2020. 

*Shawnee High School, located at Herman and 40th Sts. in Louisville, was a multistory building features castle-like towers with crenelated parapets and arches over the entryways. Originally opened in 1929, Shawnee Junior High shared this building with Western High School for Girls until they were consolidated into Shawnee Junior-Senior High School, and later referred to as Shawnee High School.