Michael Malone to UNC: How Tar Heels got here, what he’ll need to do to succeed

Potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis at North Carolina were slowly drifted off the board over 13 days after being fired by the Tar Heels — and finally, on the eve of the transfer portal opening after the national championship game, Chapel Hill found its new coach.

UNC is fixed for rent Michael Malone, who was fired almost a year ago today denver nuggetsThe team he guided to the NBA title in 2023. Malone spent 25 years as an NBA assistant or head coach, although he has not coached college basketball since 2001. This will be his first head coaching job at this level, although he is familiar with UNC’s athletic department: his daughter plays volleyball for the Tar Heels.

What should Malone’s top priorities be after the ink dries? What dangers does he need to avoid? ESPN college basketball reporters Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf answer the biggest questions.

How did North Carolina land on Malone?

North Carolina made it clear from the beginning that it was undertaking a massive effort to find Davis’ replacement. Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens removed his name from consideration early in the process, opening the door for the Tar Heels to zoom in on two of the best coaches in college basketball this season: Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Michigan’s Dusty Mays.

The pursuit of Lloyd was quite public, and he refused to end the speculation in several news conferences during the NCAA Tournament. But on the eve of the Wildcats’ Final Four game against the Wolverines, Lloyd announced he had agreed to a lucrative new contract to remain in Tucson. May was available as a potential pivot, but he informed Michigan officials in recent days that he had no plans to commit to a college job.

As recently as Sunday night, the biggest topic in college basketball was where Carolina would head next. chicago bulls coach billy donovan It appears he is next on the list, but he informed all parties that he will not be leaving at least until the end of the NBA season, which is still about a week away (April 12). With the transfer portal opening Tuesday morning, it was not feasible for North Carolina to wait. Iowa’s Ben McCollum and Baylor’s Scott Drew were the next college names on the list, but the Tar Heels stunned and selected Malone. — Borzello

How will coaching at the college level be different from the NBA?

In the NBA, each team has a salary cap and limitations that are intended to balance each roster. There is also a clear hierarchy of power between each team’s ownership, front office, and head coach. It’s all a bit unclear at the college level.

Although college basketball fans like to call the current transfer portal market “free agency”, in reality this version of roster construction and management lacks the same structure that NBA coaches enjoy. This makes the task more complex, as the market for talent is more fluid. Malone’s goal here should be to quickly establish an identity for his program.

With the Nuggets, Malone had three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic make a championship roster. The Tar Heels don’t have the brand power they used to attract the best players, and it’s not clear whether they’ll have the budget. These are the obstacles that Malone may face when taking this job. — medcalf

What does Malone need to do differently from previous NBA coaches and players who have made this transition?

To avoid the fate of other NBA coaches and players who have struggled when trying to lead at the college level, Malone’s first task will be to add an experienced Division I coach to his staff. He should scan the mid-major ranks for now, looking for a current head coach who can get him up to speed in the current landscape in college basketball. From there, he will need to identify assistants who have been successful in the portal and high school recruiting landscape in recent years. Ultimately, it will need a general manager who can manage the demanding fiscal responsibilities of the NIL world. The important thing is where should all these recruits come from Outside North Carolina coaching and player trees. Malone needs a fresh start with new faces and fresh perspectives to turn an aging program into a modern powerhouse.

Malone needs to be a coach who can quickly learn the nuances of the collegiate landscape and build the relationships necessary to move forward. At this level, his NBA connections will only take him so far. Even with Davis playing in the NBA for more than a decade, his playing career didn’t guarantee an endless pipeline of talent in Chapel Hill. — medcalf ⁠

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Why Shawn Farnham likes Michael Malone’s fit with UNC?

Sean Farnham reacts to North Carolina hiring Michael Malone as their head coach.

What is the status of the roster that Malone inherits?

On paper, North Carolina has the roster for a top-15 team – if Malone can put it together.

The transfer portal opens in a matter of hours, so the first priority will be to meet the existing players and see who he can retain. Malone’s first focus should be henry vissarIf he returns to Chapel Hill next season, who will be the top returner and potential All-American. Outside of Vissar, there are three major potential returnees: jaryn stevenson, luka bogavac And derek dixon. As the season progressed, Stevenson and Dixon enjoyed expanded roles, while Bogavac brings experience and shooting.

Before Davis’ dismissal, they also had a top-10 recruiting class led by No. 9 prospect Dylan Mingo, one of the best two-way guards in the 2026 class. However, Mingo did not commit until mid-February and ultimately chose Carolina over Baylor, Penn State and Washington. The risk for Mingo potentially reopening his recruitment is higher than for No. 21-ranked Maximo Adams, who chose Carolina over Kentucky, Michigan State and Texas, and he’ll still have ample options if he opts to return to the pool. — Borzello

What will Malone do differently from Hubert Davis?

Malone will get America’s best players to commit to UNC again, whether they are in the portal or in the high school ranks. That didn’t happen often for Davis, leading to a rocky performance as he reached the national title game in 2022. And even when he had that talent, he didn’t win often.

Malone will have to prove that he belongs at UNC for the long haul and be willing to admit what he doesn’t know. Not doing so was one of Davis’ flaws; He did not hire a general manager to run the personnel component of his team until February 2025, leaving him years behind the other Giants. Malone, who has spent time on TV since being fired by the Nuggets last year, will have to be the forward-looking leader of a program that embraces the new era of college basketball while acknowledging UNC’s past. However, he cannot live by it.

Davis struggled to establish the next chapter for the Tar Heels, whose staff consisted only of former players with UNC ties. But Malone can’t abandon that history entirely — Chapel Hill’s next chapter must still include relationships with former players. If Malone could get Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter and other former UNC greats to attend games and events – get them to rally behind him – then he would get a head start on his mission to restore UNC basketball. — medcalf