The days following the Tar Heels’ loss to VCU in the Round of 64 were full of unknowns. After a few days of silence, AD Bubba Cunningham finally decided to fire Hubert Davis. I will never agree with that decision. For two entire weeks, rumors flew about who the next head coach could be. Names thrown around included Billy Donovan, Dusty May, Rick Pitino, and Tommy Lloyd. But a name very few people saw as a realistic possibility was former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
Malone was hired on Monday and publicly announced at 2:00 PM EST. For about 24 hours following the news, I was not impressed. A guy who has won at the NBA level is cool, but he felt like just another “Belichick” hire. However, after listening to the opening press conference, my mind changed.
Malone was the first hire by UNC not to be part of the “Carolina Family,” better known as the Dean Smith coaching tree. That was why I, along with most fans I know, was hesitant. But Malone embraced that, referring to himself as “an outsider coming into a really intimate family.” He made sure to balance the fact that old traditions would remain while continuing to modernize the Carolina way. Just days after saying this, it was announced that Sean May, Eric Hoots, and Pat Sullivan were coming back as assistants.
When it comes to the roster for the 2026-27 season, fans were curious about whether the two major recruits who committed to Hubert Davis would remain. While Dylan Mingo has remained silent, Maximo Adams confirmed he is staying with the Tar Heels. Fans were also curious about the guys who had already entered the portal: Jaydon Young, Derek Dixon, Jonathan Powell, and Isaiah Dennis.
Unfortunately, Luca Bogavac put his name into the portal after having a conversation with Coach Malone. On a better note, Jaydon Young announced he would remove his name from the portal and return to Carolina. Jonathan Powell quickly committed to Pittsburgh, while Derek Dixon has been rumored to be actively visiting other schools. I have not heard anything about Dennis yet. Zayden High also entered the portal quickly after Malone’s hiring, and Caleb Wilson unsurprisingly entered his name into the NBA Draft. We’re also still waiting on word from Henri Veesaar and Jarin Stevenson, who haven’t yet clarified if they’re staying or testing the waters elsewhere.
Malone has been active in the portal, recruiting players like Juke Harris, a Salisbury, NC, native who had a phenomenal freshman season at Wake Forest. He is also targeting Terrence Brown, a Utah transfer who averaged nearly 20 points a game last season. With Malone bringing in the former director of recruiting at Arkansas, Karter Knox has been in talks with Carolina as well.
In high school recruiting, Miikka Muurinen has been the only other player Malone has publicly pursued. Muurinen was previously interested in other schools, but Malone brought UNC back into the conversation, likely due to his proven ability to develop NBA talent.
All things considered, I am very excited for the future of the Tar Heels. But until then, I guess I have the Diamond Heels to keep me busy.
