Following a second consecutive first-round exit from the NCAA tournament, Michael Jordan’s alma mater, the University of North Carolina, decided to part ways with their head coach, Hubert Davis. And so, the Tar Heels have begun their high-stakes search to restore the program’s lost glory. However, regaining their status among the nation’s best teams won’t be easy, which is why they are considering candidates from the professional ranks.

According to CBS Sports, less than 12 hours after the news of Davis’ firing broke, the North Carolina management got to work. Their first preference? Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens. However, the 49-year-old, who is one of, if not the hottest names for any head coaching job, isn’t seemingly interested in returning to coaching. So naturally, the Tar Heels had to pivot. But to whom?

While there are many other candidates on UNC’s principal’s list, the report highlights, “Hall-of-Fame Billy Donovan, who’s currently with the Chicago Bulls, but, unlike Stevens, would be willing to at least consider the opportunity at UNC if the school comes calling,” the outlet further reports. This news is significant, as it could create a bittersweet moment for Michael Jordan, given his connections to both teams.

Additionally, it would be a marketing dream for UNC, signaling that they will settle for nothing but the best for their college basketball program. But even if that weren’t the case, appointing Donovan would still make a lot of sense because of his college basketball pedigree, having led the Florida Gators to back-to-back National Championships in 2006 and 2007.

At the same time, he has also developed an identity in the NBA for developing young players like Coby White, a former Tar Heel, himself. All in all, Billy Donovan seems like the perfect person for the job. However, will he be willing to return to college coaching? Perhaps not. Also, he only signed an extension on his original four-year $24 million-plus contract back in July of last year.

This means he won’t be cheap, even if he is willing to coach the Tar Heels, and the Chicago Bulls give this move. Another major roadblock is that North Carolina hasn’t hired anyone outside the family since Harry Truman was in office. So, they’ll have to make a huge splash to get a big name like Donovan to their sidelines.

But here’s where Michael Jordan could leverage his ties with both teams to negotiate a deal somewhere in between. However, the chances of that happening are slim because not many coaches are willing to take a step back and head to college hoops. So, why don’t we look at other potential options for the Tar Heels besides the Bulls’ head coach?

Who else is on UNC’s radar apart from Billy Donovan?

Although Billy Donovan is the frontrunner for UNC’s head coaching position, there are plenty of others in the mix as well. This includes the current Arizona head coach, Tommy Lloyd, whose buyout is just $11 million, significantly lower than Donovan’s, of course. Plus, the 51-year-old has crushed at every position he’s been in. He’s 135-45 across his five seasons in Arizona.

However, with him being entrenched on the West Coast, packing up his bags for the triangle could be a huge ask. Nonetheless, aside from him, Alabama head coach Nate Oats is also among the names who could be the Tar Heels’ next boss. There’s no doubt that he’s got what it takes, but he can be a polarizing figure at times. Plus, he also has a hefty $18 million buyout attached to him.

This brings us to the remaining names linked to the job, including Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden, who led his team to the National Championship last season. T.J. Otzelberger could also be a great man for the job. The Iowa State head coach not only has a cheaper buyout than the rest of the names mentioned earlier, but he’s also knows how to turn around a program.

He made Iowa State into an annual Big 12 contender almost immediately, despite having only two wins the preceding year. Moreover, even though his program doesn’t have as many resources as the other powerhouse, he’s managed to do a pretty great job, which further bolsters his bid. That said, these are mere speculations for now, as it will be worth watching who actually ends up in the hot seat a few weeks from now.