UNC working to finalize deal with Michael Malone as coach, AP source says
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- North Carolina is close to finalizing a deal with NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone to lead the Tar Heels basketball program, replacing Hubert Davis who was fired after five seasons.
- Malone, 54, has 12 seasons of NBA head coaching experience, including leading the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship before being fired last spring.
- This marks a rare move to hire a coach without prior college head coaching experience for one of college basketball’s top jobs, which has been held exclusively by figures from the UNC family since 1997.
- Malone has personal ties to UNC through his daughter, who plays volleyball there, and has expressed a strong affinity for the university and its basketball tradition.
- The Tar Heels now have high-profile former pro coaches leading both their basketball and football programs, with Bill Belichick coaching football since December 2024.
