UNC coaching search: Pete Thamel adds UConn's Dan Hurley to mix, identifies 'realistic list' of candidates
On3 • • sports
Key Points:
- North Carolina's head coaching search is extending into Final Four weekend, with the Tar Heels targeting several candidates including Michigan's Dusty May, Chicago Bulls' Billy Donovan, Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger, and now UConn's Dan Hurley.
- ESPN's Pete Thamel categorizes these candidates into "aspirational" options, with UNC expected to pursue them actively if their current coach leaves or after the Final Four results.
- Billy Donovan's potential hire is complicated by his commitment to finish the NBA season with the Bulls, which ends on April 12, while both Hurley and May are coaching in the Final Four games on Saturday.
- If these top-tier candidates are unavailable, UNC has a "realistic list" including Scott Drew, Grant McCasland, Ben McCollum, and Mark Byington, though their buyouts could be very costly, some exceeding $10 million.
- UNC officials prioritize finding the right coach over timing, even if it means missing the NCAA transfer portal opening on April 7, signaling a patient approach to the search despite the upcoming recruiting challenges.
