UNC closing in on hiring former NBA championship coach
Mike Malone won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023, and now, he seems poised to replace Hubert Davis with the Tar Heels.
North Carolina has zeroed in on its next men's basketball coach, and it's a name that wasn't on anyone's radar. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, former NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone is set to be hired by the Tar Heels to replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after a first-round exit this season. Malone was most recently the head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
It's a hire that certainly comes a bit out of left field. Initial candidates for the UNC job included names like Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May, as well as Chicago Bulls and former Florida coach Billy Donovan. However, the former two removed their names from consideration, while the latter is still finishing up his regular season.
Sources: North Carolina intends to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone as the school’s next basketball coach. 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/JwJmUNRLQT — Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 6, 2026 Malone, who also coached the Sacramento Kings for two seasons, spent 10 seasons with the Nuggets, winning a championship in 2023. However, he was fired 79 games into the 2024-25 season, despite the team's 47-32 record.