The North Carolina Tar Heels made the surprising decision to hire Michael Malone as their head coach. Malone has never been a head coach in college before. In fact, Malone hasn’t coached in college in any capacity since 1999. He was an assistant with Manhattan at that time.
Malone last coached for the Denver Nuggets last season before being fired with three games left in the regular season. He was an unexpected target, but he was who the administration wanted. UNC fired Hubert Davis after losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to VCU.
With Malone now officially the head coach, his salary has been revealed.
GettyDenver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in a game. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Michael Malone has a Massive New Salary With the North Carolina Tar Heels
According to Brian Murphy of WRAL News in North Carolina, Malone has a six-year contract with the Tar Heels. He is making $50 million over the length of that contract. That means he is making the same amount as Dan Hurley, who just coached for a national title.
This deal puts Malone in the top five in contracts in college basketball. It’s pretty clear that North Carolina is betting large on Malone. He recently got a vote of confidence from Nikola Jokic, who is widely considered the best player on the planet.
“I think he’s going to do a really good job because he can actually coach the guys, he’s going to have time to coach the guys, and teach them how to play the game the right way.”
Malone won an NBA title with the Nuggets, which is the only title in franchise history. He is well-respected in the league. This is certainly a new challenge for him, but UNC recruits NBA-level players every single year. They are hoping that it is good enough for him to bring them a title.
GettyDenver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in a game against the Bulls. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
North Carolina Will Give Michael Malone What he Needs to Succeed
The Tar Heels have more NIL money than a lot of programs in the country. They will use that money to pursue the best prospects in the country. For the 2026 recruiting class, Malone will have three commits coming to Chapel Hill. Hiring him now also gives him a chance to recruit in the Transfer Portal.
The portal officially opened on Tuesday, the day after the national championship. With Malone in charge, UNC can now reliably recruit in the portal. He gives them something that not many coaches around the country can give: proven championship experience in the NBA.
Players who play for the North Carolina Tar Heels are hoping to play in the NBA. They are an NBA factory. This past season, they had Caleb Wilson on the roster, who is projected to be a top-four pick. Malone is used to coaching players of that caliber, and he should be able to get the most out of them.
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