Michigan’s victory over UConn in the National Championship game should be the talking point in the college basketball world, but instead, it’s the North Carolina Mike Malone hire. The news of the Tar Heels bringing in the former NBA champion shocked the sports world, and begs the question, “Did UNC hire the right coach who can cut down the nets in March”?
It all began when North Carolina fired alum and former NBA player Hubert Davis after a disappointing season, eventually losing to 11-seed VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Davis didn’t have the success of his predecessor, Roy Williams, but that’s an unfair comparison. Davis went 125-54 in his five years in Chapel Hill, with a championship appearance in his first year. He led UNC to a 24-9 record this season, including a memorable upset win over hated rival Duke on February 7th.
That’s the unfortunate part. North Carolina and Duke have such a heated rivalry that they’re always trying to outdo each other, and this includes hires. Duke’s future looks bright with John Scheyer at the helm, leaving their nemesis saying to themselves, “I can top that…but I don’t know how”.
It’s baffling that North Carolina fired Davis without a succession plan in place. One thing that this hiring search did for college basketball was increase the salaries of coaches that schools didn’t want to lose. UNC targeted Michigan’s Dusty May and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd (who just agreed to a new deal), and although the lure of North Carolina is tempting, the landscape in college sports dictates that a coach can succeed anywhere. This is the exact thinking that led the Tar Heels to knock down Malone’s door with a six-year, $50 million deal. He’s already one of the highest-paid college basketball coaches, without ever calling a play inside the Dean Smith Center.
North Carolina Michael Malone Hire Brings NBA Experience, But With A Catch
Malone started his career as an assistant coach for Oakland University from 1994 to 1995, followed by a coaching assistant position for the Providence Friars from 1995 to 1998. In the next season, Malone was the Director of Men’s Basketball Administration at the University of Virginia. From 1999 to 2001, he was an assistant coach at Manhattan.
Malone then transitioned to the pros as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the (then) New Orleans Hornets, and the Golden State Warriors. After a brief head coaching stint with the Sacramento Kings, Malone became the head coach of the Denver Nuggets, where he completely turned the team around. Despite signing an extension in 2022, a Finals win in 2023, and capturing the most wins in franchise history, Malone was let go. He was a studio analyst for ESPN this season until he was plucked away by North Carolina.
There’s no doubt Malone has the coaching credentials – on paper. The issue lies on a much deeper level. Malone’s firing in itself raises questions. He was dismissed from the Nuggets with only three games to go in the regular season, becoming the latest in-season firing by a playoff-bound team ever. On the surface, it seems the firing was due to a four-game losing streak right before the playoffs. In actuality, there was a hurricane brewing behind the scenes. Malone was butting heads with the GM and star players like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. The stars weren’t going anywhere.
An integral part of coaching is not only knowing the X’s and O’s of the game, but leading a team against adversity every game night. If Malone was having difficulty relating to and keeping the respect of his players in Denver, what are the chances that this will change in Chapel Hill?
Billy Donovan Was the Right Choice, Michael Malone Was The Desperate Choice
Billy Donovan was another potential choice as the new North Carolina coach. The Chicago Bulls have had a lost season due to injuries and a roster reset, so it’s not entirely Donovan’s fault. He’s only had one winning season in his six years in Chicago, but he had a winning record in all five years he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder before his stint in the Windy City. The Bulls have sent a clear message that they’re rebooting, and it’s doubtful Donovan remains in their plans.
Donovan coached the Florida Gators for 19 seasons, where he won two national championships. Prior to Florida, he coached at Marshall for two seasons. In his total 21 college coaching seasons, Donovan had two losing seasons – his first two years at Florida. Sometimes, coaches are better suited in college than in the pros. Examples include Rick Pitino and John Calipari, two of the greatest college coaches of all time, whose wins didn’t translate to the NBA. College coaching is exactly where Donovan belongs.
The reverse is also true. UNC made an earth-shattering hire when Bill Belichick became the coach of the Tar Heels football program this past season. Just because he may be one of the greatest NFL head coaches of all time doesn’t mean that he’ll be a college football coaching legend. While the college landscape has morphed into more of a professional league, one thing didn’t change – the players. Players in the college game are raw in talent and life experience. It takes a special coach to sculpt these 18 to 22-year-old kids into men while keeping success on the court. Malone hasn’t proven he can do this. Donovan has. North Carolina has proven they want big names over better fits.
The NCAA transfer portal opened on April 7th – the same day that Malone was introduced as North Carolina’s head coach. Malone’s hiring reeks of desperation. UNC felt they couldn’t wait for the Bulls’ decision on Donovan. They didn’t want to lose out on transfers, so they rushed to hire a coach. The problem is that while North Carolina hasn’t had recent tournament success, they are still a college basketball blueblood. Recruits and transfers will still want to play for them even if there is a coaching vacancy, because they know the Tar Heels will hire a high-profile coach. Just not the coach that will add a seventh national championship to the trophy case in Chapel Hill.
