Kenny Klein, who served for nearly four decades as the sports information director at the University of Louisville and was a close associate of Hall-of-Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino, has died at the age of 66. His family confirmed his passing on Thursday.

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, Klein suffered a "pretty tragic event" about a week prior to a June 18 athletic association board meeting, during which Louisville athletics director Josh Heird stated Klein was "battling to survive." Multiple reports have since indicated that Klein experienced a choking episode at a Louisville restaurant and did not regain consciousness.

Klein began his career at Louisville in 1983, working as the primary spokesperson for then-basketball coach Denny Crum. He remained with the Cardinals for 39 years, meticulously logging 1,309 consecutive games. In 2001, he began a significant working relationship with Rick Pitino, who frequently referred to Klein as his "main man."

Pitino expressed his grief on X (formerly Twitter) days before Klein's death, writing, "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."

During his tenure, Klein was present for both triumphs and controversies surrounding the Louisville program. He was with the team during its 2013 NCAA championship victory, a title that was later vacated due to accusations of impropriety within the program. Klein spoke to The Courier Journal in 2022 about navigating the scandal, stating, "You just try to be truthful and just try to work your way through it."

Pitino was dismissed from Louisville in 2017 following another scandal. He later coached in the Greek league, at Iona, and then at St. John's, where he was reunited with Klein. In the 2024-25 season, when St. John's sports information director experienced a health issue, Klein traveled to New York to assist. Pitino later gifted Klein a Rolex in appreciation for his help. Previously, Pitino had presented Klein with a red Lexus IS 350 convertible for his 50th birthday.

Mourning Klein's passing, veteran WNBC New York sports anchor Bruce Beck described him as "the best of the best," an "incredible PR man - an even finer human being." ESPN's Pete Thamel called Klein "a consummate professional, wonderful company and carried a joy for promoting the schools and athletes he worked with."

Klein is survived by his wife, Donna, his sons Alex and Brady, and three grandchildren.