Michael Malone to UNC: How the Tar Heels got here, what they'll have to do to succeed

Potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis in North Carolina had been slowly disappearing in the 13 days since he was fired by the Tar Heels, and finally, on the eve of the transfer portal opening after the national championship game, Chapel Hill has its new coach.

UNC is set to hire Michael Malone, who was fired nearly a year ago by the Denver Nuggets, the team he guided to an NBA title in 2023. Malone spent 25 years as an NBA assistant or head coach, though he hasn't 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 once the ink dries? What pitfalls should you avoid? ESPN college basketball reporters Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf answer the biggest questions.

How did North Carolina get to Malone?

North Carolina made it clear from the start that it was making big moves in its search for 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 approach arguably the two best coaches in college basketball this season: Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May.

Lloyd's pursuit was quite public and he refused to end the speculation in multiple press conferences during the NCAA tournament. But on the eve of the Wildcats' Final Four game against the Wolverines, Lloyd announced that he had accepted a lucrative new contract to stay in Tucson. May was available as a possible center, but informed Michigan officials in recent days that he had no plans to pursue any college jobs.

As recently as Sunday night, the biggest topic in college basketball was where Carolina would go next. Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan appeared to be next on the list, but he informed all parties that he would not be leaving until at least the end of the NBA season, which is still almost a week away (April 12). With the transfer portal opening Tuesday morning, it wasn't 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 pulled off a surprise and went with Malone. –Borzello

How will coaching at the college level differ from that in 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 the owners, management and head coach of each team. All of that is murkier at the university level.

While college basketball fans love to call the current transfer portal market “free agency,” in reality this version of roster building and management lacks the same structure that NBA coaches enjoy. It creates a more complicated task, as the talent market is more fluid. Malone's goal here should be to establish an identity for his program…quickly.

With the Nuggets, Malone had a three-time NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic to build a championship roster. The Tar Heels don't have the same level of brand power they once had to attract top players, and it's also unclear if they will have the budget. Those are the limitations Malone could face when he takes this job. — Medcalf

What will Malone have to do differently than previous NBA coaches and players who have made this transition?

To avoid the fate of other NBA coaches and players who have struggled while 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 be scouring the mid-ranges right now, looking for an acting head coach who can bring him up to speed on the current college basketball landscape. From there, you'll need to identify assistants who have been successful on the portal and in the high school recruiting landscape in recent years. Finally, you will need a CEO who can manage the tax responsibilities that the NIL world demands. Fundamentally, all such hires should come from outside the trees of North Carolina coaches and players. Malone needs a fresh start with fresh faces and fresh perspectives to turn a storied program into a modern powerhouse.

Malone will have to be a coach who quickly learns the ins and outs of the college landscape and builds the relationships necessary to thrive. At this level, his ties to the NBA won't get him very far. Even Davis played in the NBA for more than a decade, but his playing career didn't guarantee an endless supply of talent in Chapel Hill. — Medcalf ⁠

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What is the status of the squad that Malone inherits?

On paper, North Carolina has the roster of a top-15 team, if Malone can keep it together.

The transfer portal opens in a matter of hours, so the first priority will be to meet with the current players and see who he can retain. Malone's first focus should be Henri Veesaar, who would be the top returner and a potential All-American if he returns to Chapel Hill next season. Outside of Veesaar, there are three key potential returnees: Jarin Stevenson, Luka Bogavac and Derek Dixon. Stevenson and Dixon enjoyed expanded roles as the season progressed, while Bogavac brings experience and shooting.

Prior to Davis' release, he had also secured a top-10 recruiting class led by No. 9 prospect Dylan Mingo, one of the top two-way guards in the class of 2026. However, Mingo didn't commit until mid-February and ultimately chose Carolina over Baylor, Penn State and Washington. Mingo is potentially a higher risk to reopen his recruitment than No. 21-ranked Maximo Adams, who chose Carolina over Kentucky, Michigan State and Texas, and would still have ample options if he decided to return to the fold. –Borzello

What will Malone have to do differently than Hubert Davis?

Malone has to get America's best players to recommit to UNC, whether they are in the portal or in the high school ranks. That didn't happen often enough for Davis, leading to a turbulent stretch after reaching the national title game in 2022. And even when he had that talent, he simply didn't win often enough.

Malone will have to prove that he will stay at UNC for the long haul and be willing to admit what he doesn't know. Not doing that was one of Davis's failings; he didn't hire a general manager to lead the personnel component of his team until February 2025, putting him years behind other bluebloods. Malone, who has spent time on television since being fired by the Nuggets last year, will have to be the leader of a program that embraces the new era of college basketball while still acknowledging UNC's past. However, he cannot make a living from it.

Davis struggled to establish the next chapter for the Tar Heels, whose staff included only former players with ties to UNC. But Malone can't abandon that history entirely: The next chapter in Chapel Hill should still include ties to former players. If Malone can get Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter and other past UNC greats to show up to games and events (get them to support him), he will have an advantage in his mission to restore UNC basketball. — Medcalf