Michael Malone Named Head Coach at North Carolina

A Bold Gamble After Hubert Davis’s Failure

At 54 years old, Malone arrives at Chapel Hill with an impressive résumé built in the NBA. Over 10 seasons with the Nuggets, he compiled a record of 471 wins and 327 losses (.590), reaching the playoffs six times and claiming the franchise’s first title in 2023 behind Nikola Jokic, a three-time league MVP.

His surprise dismissal by Denver in April 2025, with three games left in the regular season, shocked the NBA world. Despite a 47-32 record and a secured playoff berth, the Nuggets front office decided it was time for a change in team culture.

This appointment follows the firing of Hubert Davis on March 24, after five disappointing seasons marked by two consecutive first-round exits in March Madness. Davis, a former assistant to legendary coach Roy Williams, had failed to keep North Carolina at the expected level of excellence.

North Carolina intends to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone as the school’s next basketball coach, per ESPN’s @PeteThamel. He’s an NBA Championship coach with the Denver Nuggets from the 2022-23 season and has won 510 games as an NBA head coach. pic.twitter.com/OIe5wdmHue

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 6, 2026

A Colossal Challenge in the College World

North Carolina’s bet is a risky one, as Malone has not coached at the college level since 2001, when he was an assistant at Manhattan. After 25 years in the NBA, he will need to adapt to the specifics of college basketball: managing the transfer portal, NIL deals, and international recruiting.

This strategy is reminiscent of the hiring of Bill Belichick to lead the Tar Heels’ football program. Like the NFL champion, Malone arrives without recent college experience but with an exceptional track record at the professional level.

A personal detail helped smooth negotiations: his daughter Bridget plays on the university’s volleyball team, which allowed Malone to become familiar with the Chapel Hill environment. According to sources close to the matter, talks accelerated over the past 18 hours, leading to this surprise appointment that definitively rules out Billy Donovan, long considered the frontrunner for the position.

« He’s a winner. Right away he has a resume that no one in college basketball has. He’s an NBA champion. »

North Carolina alum Kenny Smith on the Tar Heels hiring Michael Malone to be the next head coach.

(via @CBSSportsCBB)pic.twitter.com/6zKPZe1Gdu

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 6, 2026