North Carolina is close to hiring Michael Malone, a former NBA championship-winning coach, to lead the Tar Heels’ basketball program. Malone, who previously coached the Denver Nuggets to a 2023 championship, would replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after five seasons. This move marks a significant shift as Malone has never been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His connection to UNC includes his daughter Bridget, who plays on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team. The hiring of Malone, alongside Bill Belichick as the football coach, highlights UNC’s trend of appointing high-profile former professional coaches to lead its major sports programs. This decision comes after other potential candidates, like Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, were considered but ultimately stayed with their current teams.
QUESTION: How might the hiring of a high-profile NBA coach like Michael Malone impact the future success and reputation of UNC’s basketball program?
North Carolina working to finalize deal to hire Michael Malone as basketball coach, AP source says
