North Carolina parted ways with head coach Hubert Davis nearly three weeks ago, and it seems poised to bring in former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote Monday on X that “North Carolina intends to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone as the school’s next basketball coach. He’s an NBA Championship coach with the Denver Nuggets from the 2022-23 season and has won 510 games as an NBA head coach.”
The decision for North Carolina to hire Malone has raised eyebrows, as he never seemed to be on the Tar Heels’ radar. With Arizona’s head coach Tommy Lloyd and Michigan’s head coach Dusty May deciding to stay at their respective schools, and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan possibly remaining in his position, North Carolina opted for a different path.
Malone has never served as a head coach at the college level. Although he has 12 seasons of experience as an NBA head coach and has also worked as an assistant NBA coach, transitioning to the college level is a completely different game.
It should be easier to go from coaching in the NBA to college, but that’s not how the new era of college spots works, and here are two ways Malone could turn North Carolina around quickly.
Hiring The Right Staff
Since Malone is dipping his toes into the world of college sports for the first time, especially as he navigates the transfer portal and NIL era, he must hire assistant coaches who are well-versed in these areas.
Malone can’t come into Chapel Hill with assistant coaches who are learning on the fly how to attack the portal, recruiting and NIL because North Carolina is going to have a hard time adjusting.
North Carolina can’t seem to leverage its brand to attract players anymore. It clearly didn’t pan out when it tried to land the best coaches in college basketball, so why would it work with players who grew up during a time when North Carolina was only a shadow of its former self?
If Malone brings in assistant coaches who can navigate the NIL and portal window, it could help him adapt to the college game and learn to do things efficiently, which might turn North Carolina back into the powerhouse it once was.
Transfer Portal And Keeping Recruits
College basketball is a sport in which teams can completely turn their fortunes around, for better or worse, in one offseason, thanks to the portal and recruiting.
Over 1,000 players are going to hit the portal this offseason, and North Carolina can find some depth guys and maybe even a starter or two that can come in from Day 1 and play well.
If Malone can recruit a few strong players from the portal and keep point guard Dylan Mingoc, currently ranked No. 9 in the 2026 class by ESPN, along with forward Maximo Adams, ranked No. 21, then the Tar Heels could be a team to watch next season.
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