North Carolina hires former Nuggets coach Michael Malone as Hubert Davis' replacement
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The University of North Carolina has hired former NBA coach Michael Malone as its new men's basketball head coach on a six-year, $50 million contract, making him the second-highest paid coach in college basketball.
- Malone, 54, has extensive NBA head coaching experience, including leading the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA championship in the 2022-23 season, but has never been a head coach at the college level.
- UNC’s previous coach, Hubert Davis, was fired after several disappointing seasons, including a first-round NCAA tournament loss, prompting UNC to seek a high-profile replacement to restore the program’s championship competitiveness.
- The hiring decision came quickly ahead of the college basketball transfer portal opening, and Malone’s connection to UNC was strengthened by his daughter’s presence on the school’s volleyball team.
- UNC’s basketball program aims to return to its former national prominence under Malone, who will face the challenge of translating his NBA success to the college game.
