Sources: UNC to hire Malone as new hoops coach
Why it matters: UNC, a six-time NCAA champion, is hiring an NBA champion coach to revitalize its men's basketball program after two consecutive first-round NCAA tournament exits.
- North Carolina intends to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone, an NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets, as its new head coach, according to ESPN sources.
- Malone brings a strong reputation as an X's-and-O's coach, having won 510 games in 12 seasons as an NBA head coach and spending nearly 25 years in the professional ranks.
- UNC's search turned to Malone after top college coaching targets like Michigan's Dusty May, Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, and Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger publicly committed to staying at their current schools.
- Hubert Davis was fired after five seasons, during which UNC reached the national championship once but failed to advance past the Sweet 16 in the last four years, including consecutive first-round NCAA tournament losses.
- Malone's hire was influenced by the respect of UNC legends Michael Jordan and Roy Williams, signaling a strategic move towards a more professionalized coaching style in college basketball.
North Carolina is set to hire NBA champion coach Michael Malone, a respected tactician with a quarter-century of professional experience, to lead its men's basketball program. This unexpected move comes after the Tar Heels' pursuit of several high-profile college coaches proved unsuccessful, marking a significant shift from their recently fired coach, Hubert Davis, who struggled in the NCAA tournament.
