The North Carolina Tar Heels have decided on their new head coach, and it is not a choice many saw coming.
The Tar Heels plan to hire former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Malone has most recently served as an NBA analyst for ESPN.
Sources: 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. pic.twitter.com/JwJmUNRLQT
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 6, 2026
Malone was not on anyone’s radar as a potential option for the Tar Heels. He worked as a collegiate assistant from 1994 to 2001, but all of his head coaching jobs have come at the NBA level. While it is no shock he is returning to coaching, the widespread expectation had been that it would be at the NBA level.
On the other hand, Malone has a track record of success. He is 510-394 as an NBA head coach and won the NBA title with the Nuggets in 2023. Denver unexpectedly fired him last year amid reports that he was clashing behind the scenes with other members of the organization.
The Tar Heels are presumably hoping Malone will be able to attract NBA-level talent and draw players in with the strength of his resume. That strategy has not necessarily worked well on the football side, but the Tar Heels are betting on reputation and experience.
North Carolina had targeted the likes of Dusty May of Michigan and Tommy Lloyd of Arizona, but both opted to remain with their current programs. A different NBA head coach had also been strongly linked to the job.
