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Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Imago
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
As UNC turns a new chapter in its coaching era with the appointment of Michael Malone, an offensive shift is coming to Chapel Hill. The firing of Hubert Davis signaled a dramatic change in direction for the program, but for a former Duke coach, that change was never needed.
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New Era Underway For Tar Heel Basketballhttps://t.co/RkUHVswTRJ
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) April 8, 2026
“I didn’t really think that a change was necessary at North Carolina, you win 70% of your games and number one seed and all this stuff, but that’s their business, I get it. I understand the way the world works. But Michael Malone’s a terrific coach,” said former Duke coach Jay Bilas.
While it is true that Davis did not take UNC to extreme levels of success, can his contributions be overlooked? Think again: Davis was the same coach who had a 70% winning record at UNC, including an ACC regular season title in 2024 and a Final Four run in 2022.
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Hubert Davis also helped the Tar Heels earn the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Tournament and also became the ACC Coach of the Year back in the 2023-24 season. But the management chose to fire him. With this, Bilas indirectly suggested that the firing was more about perception and expectations than actual failure.
Nevertheless, hiring Michael Malone wasn’t a bad decision at all, and that is one thing Bilas strongly believes. Malone comes with an enviable resume that very few possess, with a 2023 NBA championship win, and that makes him a standout among the current crop of coaches. The Tar Heels are said to have offered $50 million across six years for their new head coach.
No wonder UNC is beyond thrilled to have him in their midst. But what does Malone make of this new association?
Malone Proud To Be Associated With The Tar Heels
Exactly one year after his unceremonious firing from the Denver Nuggets, Michael Malone shocked everyone by taking up a coaching role in college basketball. It was April 8, 2025, when he was dismissed from his responsibilities, and now, exactly a year later, he gets hired to take over things at Chapel Hill.
Life surely has surprising ways of turning things around. While many thought a fellow NBA team like the New Orleans Pelicans and the Orlando Magic would be his next go-to place, he chose North Carolina as his future destination.
“Carolina is one of the most historic programs in college basketball, and I am honored to be the head coach of the Tar Heels. It is humbling to follow so many legends in Chapel Hill. I know from the many Tar Heels in the NBA how special the Carolina Basketball Family is, and I will do everything I can to continue UNC’s championship legacy while preparing our players for professional careers and life after basketball,” said Malone on why he preferred to align himself with UNC in a press conference.
While Carolina has a rich legacy (6 NCAA championships) and multiple accolades to boot, it has somewhat toned down a bit over the years and hasn’t been at its formidable best. Now his job would be to revamp the team from the inside out and get things back in order.
Malone knows he has his work cut out for him. UNC has managed to reach just one Final Four since winning the title in 2017 and has suffered several early exits. The latest one was at the hands of a Cinderella team in the VCU Rams in the first round, which probably irked the management even further, leading to Hubert Davis’ subsequent firing.
Now Malone will pick things up from where Davis left off, as he will get hands-on with the recruiting and transfer portal, which he hasn’t been a part of since 2001.
Written by
Edited by
Pranav Venkatesh