North Carolina to reportedly hire former Nuggets coach Mike Malone as Hubert Davis' replacement
Yahoo Sports • • general
Key Points:
- The University of North Carolina is reportedly hiring former NBA coach Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis as head basketball coach, marking Malone's first college head coaching role despite his extensive NBA experience.
- Malone, 54, led the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA championship in the 2022-23 season and made six straight playoff appearances, but was unexpectedly fired late in the 2023-24 season and did not secure another NBA coaching job.
- UNC conducted a broad search for a new coach, with top college candidates declining to interview, leading to a swift agreement with Malone, whose daughter currently plays for UNC volleyball.
- Malone's challenge will be to restore UNC basketball to its former national championship-contending status after several disappointing seasons and the firing of Davis following a first-round NCAA tournament loss.
- This hire mirrors UNC's previous unconventional choice in football by hiring Bill Belichick, highlighting the university's willingness to bet on professional coaching success translating to the college level.
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