- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,130,744
- Reaction score
- 59
CHAPEL HILL — UNC basketball coach Michael Malone told the Tar Heels “no” before he was convinced to be the first hire outside of the “Carolina family” in 70-plus years.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but what I kept thinking about was: I have a chance to be a part of something special,” Malone said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday, April 7, inside the Smith Center.
“The history and tradition, to be a part of something bigger than myself. This is the only college job I’d ever consider. Any other job, I wouldn’t even answer the phone.”
MALONE CONTRACT: Michael Malone contract, salary with UNC basketball
MALONE'S TO-DO LIST: Michael Malone's to-do list with UNC basketball as Tar Heels new coach
GET TO KNOW MALONE: Michael Malone discussed UNC basketball, coaching philosophy on Tar Heels podcast
But he did answer the phone when Steve Newmark, who will become UNC’s director of athletics on July 1, called after the Tar Heels decided to fire Hubert Davis on March 24. A two-week search ended where it began: with Malone.
“If you wanna know something about Steve Newmark, persistence defined that guy. Would not take no for an answer,” Malone said.
“I made a decision, I felt good about it and Steve said, ‘Can we fly to your house on Easter Sunday.’ And we spent five hours together, along with (director of basketball operations) Eric Hoots. Had a great meeting. My dog didn’t bite him, so we knew he was OK. That night, we talked awhile. My wife (Jocelyn) and I made the decision to come here.”
Yes, Malone’s daughter, Bridget, is a rising sophomore and volleyball player at UNC. Bridget wanted her father to join her in Chapel Hill, but Malone insisted that it wasn't the main reason he ultimately chose to lead the Tar Heels.
“I did not come here for her,” Malone said with a smirk. “I know that’s a narrative. … But I’m happy to share this with (her).”
When UNC decided to move beyond the family after starting with Dean Smith and ending with Hubert Davis over a 65-year period, Newmark knew the Tar Heels had to take big swings.
“I believe there was a consensus that this time we needed to look broader. That was something that we had never done before,” Newmark said.
“So, when you sit down with a blank sheet of paper and look at every elite coach in the country – college or NBA – it’s a pretty big list. We really coalesced around a small few at the top. It’s a nice story for me that at the beginning is also where we ended. I think Coach Malone probably could’ve saved us a lot of angst if he had just, after the second conversation, said, ‘I’m all in.’ We had a lot of help.”
Former players Antawn Jamison and Kenny Smith, along with former coaches Roy Williams and Eddie Fogler, were at the forefront of the search. After several conversations with others connected to the university, they all came to the same conclusion, Newmark said.
“Coach Malone is the ideal fit for this university.”
Fogler also asked Newmark what UNC was looking for in a coach. Newmark highlighted three areas, starting with the need for an “elite teacher, innovator, strategist and leader.” He then said the next coach needed to “display and possess the integrity that’s consistent with out university and principles.”
Finally, Newmark added, there had to be a belief “in the importance of the Carolina family and the Carolina tradition, and what that means to the UNC community.”
For Newmark and others, “Coach Malone exemplifies every single one of those. He checked every single box,” Newmark said.
UNC started with a “fairly long list,” but “even at that point, we had a select few that were at the top,” Newmark added.
“And the way that we actually started the process is where we ended the process.”
At the beginning of the search, Newmark said he reached out to UNC assistant coach Pat Sullivan for Malone’s phone number to gauge interest.
That first phone call lasted about an hour, Newmark continued, and what stood out to him was Malone’s “basketball encyclopedia.” He went through the strengths and weaknesses of every player on UNC's 2025-26 roster, and listed the former Tar Heels with connections to the New York area.
Malone thought it was a “courtesy call” as a favor to Sullivan. But as the process went on and Easter Sunday arrived, it became clear to Malone that this was something he couldn’t turn down.
“Every time I said no, I was regretting that. I was like, I think I’m making a mistake,” Malone said. “Jobs like North Carolina do not come (open) … I told Steve at one point, ‘I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’”
For Malone, this wasn’t a situation in which he could say it wasn’t the right time.
“This was now or never,” he said.
Malone was set to stick with his original plan to turn down the job and wait for an NBA opportunity, but Newmark’s final trip with Hoots on Easter Sunday shifted the thought process and ended the search.
"I'm glad they came out. My first reaction was, when they said they wanted to fly from Indianapolis was, 'No, I already said no.' But I'm so happy that they did come, because it changed my mind and changed my wife's mind," Malone said.
"That night, I felt so much better about it."
Newmark said he thinks “that light bulb went off.” A return to the NBA was the original plan for Malone, but plans changed when the UNC job opened up, “because it’s Carolina.” That started to set in as Malone discussed the opportunity and challenge ahead of him in Chapel Hill.
“I’m not only taking this job, I’m attacking this job,” Malone said.
“I can’t wait to get to campus and start with everything we have to do. …because we got work to do, jack.”
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Michael Malone ends UNC basketball coaching search as Tar Heels leader
Continue reading...
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but what I kept thinking about was: I have a chance to be a part of something special,” Malone said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday, April 7, inside the Smith Center.
“The history and tradition, to be a part of something bigger than myself. This is the only college job I’d ever consider. Any other job, I wouldn’t even answer the phone.”
MALONE CONTRACT: Michael Malone contract, salary with UNC basketball
MALONE'S TO-DO LIST: Michael Malone's to-do list with UNC basketball as Tar Heels new coach
GET TO KNOW MALONE: Michael Malone discussed UNC basketball, coaching philosophy on Tar Heels podcast
But he did answer the phone when Steve Newmark, who will become UNC’s director of athletics on July 1, called after the Tar Heels decided to fire Hubert Davis on March 24. A two-week search ended where it began: with Malone.
“If you wanna know something about Steve Newmark, persistence defined that guy. Would not take no for an answer,” Malone said.
“I made a decision, I felt good about it and Steve said, ‘Can we fly to your house on Easter Sunday.’ And we spent five hours together, along with (director of basketball operations) Eric Hoots. Had a great meeting. My dog didn’t bite him, so we knew he was OK. That night, we talked awhile. My wife (Jocelyn) and I made the decision to come here.”
Yes, Malone’s daughter, Bridget, is a rising sophomore and volleyball player at UNC. Bridget wanted her father to join her in Chapel Hill, but Malone insisted that it wasn't the main reason he ultimately chose to lead the Tar Heels.
“I did not come here for her,” Malone said with a smirk. “I know that’s a narrative. … But I’m happy to share this with (her).”
How UNC basketball coaching search led to Michael Malone
When UNC decided to move beyond the family after starting with Dean Smith and ending with Hubert Davis over a 65-year period, Newmark knew the Tar Heels had to take big swings.
“I believe there was a consensus that this time we needed to look broader. That was something that we had never done before,” Newmark said.
“So, when you sit down with a blank sheet of paper and look at every elite coach in the country – college or NBA – it’s a pretty big list. We really coalesced around a small few at the top. It’s a nice story for me that at the beginning is also where we ended. I think Coach Malone probably could’ve saved us a lot of angst if he had just, after the second conversation, said, ‘I’m all in.’ We had a lot of help.”
Former players Antawn Jamison and Kenny Smith, along with former coaches Roy Williams and Eddie Fogler, were at the forefront of the search. After several conversations with others connected to the university, they all came to the same conclusion, Newmark said.
“Coach Malone is the ideal fit for this university.”
Fogler also asked Newmark what UNC was looking for in a coach. Newmark highlighted three areas, starting with the need for an “elite teacher, innovator, strategist and leader.” He then said the next coach needed to “display and possess the integrity that’s consistent with out university and principles.”
Finally, Newmark added, there had to be a belief “in the importance of the Carolina family and the Carolina tradition, and what that means to the UNC community.”
For Newmark and others, “Coach Malone exemplifies every single one of those. He checked every single box,” Newmark said.
Michael Malone ultimately couldn't turn down chance to be UNC basketball coach
UNC started with a “fairly long list,” but “even at that point, we had a select few that were at the top,” Newmark added.
“And the way that we actually started the process is where we ended the process.”
At the beginning of the search, Newmark said he reached out to UNC assistant coach Pat Sullivan for Malone’s phone number to gauge interest.
That first phone call lasted about an hour, Newmark continued, and what stood out to him was Malone’s “basketball encyclopedia.” He went through the strengths and weaknesses of every player on UNC's 2025-26 roster, and listed the former Tar Heels with connections to the New York area.
Malone thought it was a “courtesy call” as a favor to Sullivan. But as the process went on and Easter Sunday arrived, it became clear to Malone that this was something he couldn’t turn down.
“Every time I said no, I was regretting that. I was like, I think I’m making a mistake,” Malone said. “Jobs like North Carolina do not come (open) … I told Steve at one point, ‘I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’”
For Malone, this wasn’t a situation in which he could say it wasn’t the right time.
“This was now or never,” he said.
Malone was set to stick with his original plan to turn down the job and wait for an NBA opportunity, but Newmark’s final trip with Hoots on Easter Sunday shifted the thought process and ended the search.
"I'm glad they came out. My first reaction was, when they said they wanted to fly from Indianapolis was, 'No, I already said no.' But I'm so happy that they did come, because it changed my mind and changed my wife's mind," Malone said.
"That night, I felt so much better about it."
Newmark said he thinks “that light bulb went off.” A return to the NBA was the original plan for Malone, but plans changed when the UNC job opened up, “because it’s Carolina.” That started to set in as Malone discussed the opportunity and challenge ahead of him in Chapel Hill.
“I’m not only taking this job, I’m attacking this job,” Malone said.
“I can’t wait to get to campus and start with everything we have to do. …because we got work to do, jack.”
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Michael Malone ends UNC basketball coaching search as Tar Heels leader
Continue reading...
