3-time NBA MVP endorses Michael Malone as UNC head coach
Michael Malone helped develop Nikola Jokic into an NBA superstar. The Joker thinks his former head coach will thrive leading the Tar Heels.
After nearly three weeks of searching, the UNC men's basketball program finally found its guy. On Monday afternoon, North Carolina hired longtime Denver Nuggets boss Michael Malone to be its next head coach. Even with previous stops at Oakland (MI) University, Providence College and Manhattan University, Malone is a collegiate head coach for the first time.
Malone has 510 wins across 12 NBA seasons, including the 2023 NBA Championship – Denver's first in franchise history. Malone is widely credited with developing Nikola Jokic into the NBA superstar he is today. Earlier this week, Jokic spoke on his former head coach making the collegiate jump.
“I’m happy for him," Jokic said. "I wish him well. I think it’s a little bit different just because he was coaching NBA for 12-15 years.
But he definitely has the poise and the brain to do it. I think he’s going to do a really good job, because I think he can actually coach the guys... and teach them how to play the game the right way.