UNC basketball head coach search profile: Texas Tech's Grant McCasland
Grant McCasland has won at every level. Here’s why the Texas Tech coach could be a strong fit — or a risky bet — for UNC’s next head coach search.
The search for the next head basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels is underway, and there have already been plenty of names thrown around. As of now, the three leading candidates are Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd , Michigan’s Dusty May and former Florida and current Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan . However, all three could ultimately turn down the UNC job.
If that happens, where does North Carolina turn? Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington and Iowa’s Ben McCollum have already been profiled. Next up: Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland.
Prior Experience Grant McCasland is a coaching chameleon who adapts to his environment and wins, from junior college to Division I. He has a career record of 284-121 (. 701) across Midwestern State (Division II), Arkansas State, North Texas and Texas Tech.
He led North Texas to the NIT title in 2023 and Texas Tech to the Elite Eight last season. Before moving into Division I, he was a highly successful junior college coach at Midland College from 2004-09, going 142-32 with two national championship appearances and a title in 2007. In 17 seasons as a head coach at the junior college and NCAA levels, McCasland has had only one year with fewer than 20 wins — the shortened 2020-21 season at North Texas, when the Mean Green still earned their first NCAA Tournament win by upsetting Purdue in a 13-over-4 matchup.