The North Carolina Tar Heels have three names at the top of their list as they search for a new head coach, but do not expect a resolution in the next few days.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, Michigan coach Dusty May, and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan are the three main targets for North Carolina, according to Pete Nakos of On3. That is expected to slow the search process, as both Lloyd and May are taking their teams to the Final Four.
Lloyd is viewed as a strong candidate in part because former Tar Heels coach Roy Williams likes him a great deal. The Arizona coach did little to ward off speculation with the comments he made after guiding the Wildcats to the Final Four.
May has quickly built a powerhouse at Michigan in just two years. He may be the most difficult target to land, as the Wolverines want to keep him and he has signaled that he is committed to the school.
Donovan’s name has been floating around for a while, though he still wants to see out the season with the Bulls. He was hugely successful at Florida from 1996 to 2015, and a chance to return to college may appeal to him, especially if he is offered one of the most prestigious jobs in the sport.
North Carolina is aiming very high in their search, as was expected. Since Hubert Davis took the team to the national championship game in 2022, they have not gotten past the Sweet Sixteen, and suffered first-round exits in each of the last two years. The Tar Heels want a coach who can take them much farther than that.
