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For the first time in 74 years, UNC basketball could have a coach with no connection to the “Carolina Family.”
The Tar Heels’ keep-it-in-the-family tradition goes back to 1952 when Frank McGuire was hired to take over the program. McGuire led UNC to the 1957 national championship and stayed four more seasons before then-assistant Dean Smith took over and became one of the legendary leaders in the sport.
Smith led UNC to a pair of NCAA titles in 1982 and 1993 and retired in 1997. Bill Guthridge took the reins from there, followed by Matt Doherty and three-time national champion Roy Williams, who retired in 2021 and hand picked Hubert Davis. But it looks likely the Tar Heels will break away from the tree moving forward.
NEW ERA: Hubert Davis out as UNC basketball after five seasons as coach
UNC BASKETBALL COVERAGE: Complete coverage of UNC basketball
Following five seasons, Davis is done in Chapel Hill. UNC announced the move on Tuesday, March 24, opening up arguably the best basketball job in the nation. For the first time since NCAA Tournament expansion in 1985, the Tar Heels were bounced in the round of 64 in consecutive seasons.
The Tar Heels have 2,419 wins across 116 seasons. Kansas and Kentucky are the only programs with more victories than UNC, which has six NCAA titles, along with a record 134 tournament wins and 21 Final Four appearances.
With a coaching search underway, here are 10 possible candidates for the Tar Heels:
Here are 10 possible options for the Tar Heels:
Byington, 49, is a former UNC Wilmington player who has averaged 25 wins across his last four seasons as a head coach, including 27 victories this season in his second year at Vanderbilt. He’s not the flashiest name in the group, but he’s a rising star known for maxing out player potential and producing elite offenses.
Donovan, 60, was a two-time national champion at Florida and has been in the NBA for the last 11 seasons, including six in his current capacity as head coach of the Chicago Bulls. His history as a college coach for 19 years with the Gators, including 16 straight seasons with 20 or more wins – and his NBA ties – equip him to help UNC adapt to modern college basketball. Donovan brings perspective from the best of both worlds and would be the perfect fit in Chapel Hill.
Few, 63, has done everything at Gonzaga but win a national title. Roy Williams is a mentor and friend, which could ease the sting of moving on from Hubert Davis and the “Carolina Family” coaching tree. Few has won more than 83% of his games across 27 seasons with the Bulldogs and always seems to produce high-scoring offenses and stingy defenses. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll leave Spokane, but it would qualify as an elite hire.
The big-time buyout could be an issue, but Golden is a 40-year-old coach with a program that is built similarly to some of the best teams in UNC history. The Gators have rolled out top-10 offenses and defenses in consecutive seasons under Golden, who could give Tar Heel fans memories of Roy Williams because of how well Florida’s teams rebound and how fast they play. But would he leave the comfort of the Gators for the pressure in Chapel Hill?
Like Golden, Lloyd would qualify as a home-run hire. And like Golden, the buyout situation could be tricky for UNC. Lloyd, 53, has won more than 80% of his games in five seasons at Arizona. After spending 22 seasons as an assistant under Few at Gonzaga, Lloyd has become one of the top leaders in the nation. His teams are consistently good on both ends of the floor and perennial national contenders. But would a West Coast guy want to make the move across the country if things are going so well in Tucson?
An underrated possibility, the 54-year-old Malone is a championship-caliber coach and has a daughter who plays volleyball at UNC. He’s been around the Tar Heels’ basketball program at times and has history as a college and NBA coach. Malone led the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title in 2023.
May, 49, has built a juggernaut this season at Michigan. One of the top coaches in the sport, May led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four before taking over the Wolverines. Since making the move to the Power 5 level, May has put together fun offenses and defenses built on positional size. He's a modern coach built to lead a modern program.
This might seem a bit unorthodox, but McCollum is a proven winner at multiple levels and a program builder. The 44-year-old coach won four Division II national championships before jumping to the Division I level. He's won more than 80% of his games, leading Drake to 31 wins before making the move to Iowa and taking the Haweyes to the NCAA Tournament this season. Imagine what he could do with a blue-blood program?
Off-the-court issues in Tuscaloosa and buyout numbers could make this a tricky fit, but the 51-year-old Oats has led the Crimson Tide to five Sweet 16 appearances in the last six seasons. He's also had Carolina's number, with the Tide taking down the Tar Heels on its way to the 2024 Final Four before putting on a show at the Smith Center last season. The pace and offensive efficiency would unquestionably keep fans in seats in Chapel Hill.
If UNC wants to build its identity around defense, Otzelberger is the guy to do it. The 48-year-old coach has produced top-10 defensive units in four of his five seasons at Iowa State. The Cyclones are elite at creating turnovers. The Heels would have a clear identity and structured program under Otzelberger. Considering what he's built in Ames, this could be UNC's safest, most reliable option.
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: Who replaces Hubert Davis? UNC basketball coaching candidates
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The Tar Heels’ keep-it-in-the-family tradition goes back to 1952 when Frank McGuire was hired to take over the program. McGuire led UNC to the 1957 national championship and stayed four more seasons before then-assistant Dean Smith took over and became one of the legendary leaders in the sport.
Smith led UNC to a pair of NCAA titles in 1982 and 1993 and retired in 1997. Bill Guthridge took the reins from there, followed by Matt Doherty and three-time national champion Roy Williams, who retired in 2021 and hand picked Hubert Davis. But it looks likely the Tar Heels will break away from the tree moving forward.
NEW ERA: Hubert Davis out as UNC basketball after five seasons as coach
UNC BASKETBALL COVERAGE: Complete coverage of UNC basketball
Following five seasons, Davis is done in Chapel Hill. UNC announced the move on Tuesday, March 24, opening up arguably the best basketball job in the nation. For the first time since NCAA Tournament expansion in 1985, the Tar Heels were bounced in the round of 64 in consecutive seasons.
The Tar Heels have 2,419 wins across 116 seasons. Kansas and Kentucky are the only programs with more victories than UNC, which has six NCAA titles, along with a record 134 tournament wins and 21 Final Four appearances.
With a coaching search underway, here are 10 possible candidates for the Tar Heels:
Who replaces Hubert Davis? 10 UNC basketball candidates
Here are 10 possible options for the Tar Heels:
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt coach
Byington, 49, is a former UNC Wilmington player who has averaged 25 wins across his last four seasons as a head coach, including 27 victories this season in his second year at Vanderbilt. He’s not the flashiest name in the group, but he’s a rising star known for maxing out player potential and producing elite offenses.
Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls coach
Donovan, 60, was a two-time national champion at Florida and has been in the NBA for the last 11 seasons, including six in his current capacity as head coach of the Chicago Bulls. His history as a college coach for 19 years with the Gators, including 16 straight seasons with 20 or more wins – and his NBA ties – equip him to help UNC adapt to modern college basketball. Donovan brings perspective from the best of both worlds and would be the perfect fit in Chapel Hill.
Mark Few, Gonzaga coach
Few, 63, has done everything at Gonzaga but win a national title. Roy Williams is a mentor and friend, which could ease the sting of moving on from Hubert Davis and the “Carolina Family” coaching tree. Few has won more than 83% of his games across 27 seasons with the Bulldogs and always seems to produce high-scoring offenses and stingy defenses. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll leave Spokane, but it would qualify as an elite hire.
Todd Golden, Florida coach
The big-time buyout could be an issue, but Golden is a 40-year-old coach with a program that is built similarly to some of the best teams in UNC history. The Gators have rolled out top-10 offenses and defenses in consecutive seasons under Golden, who could give Tar Heel fans memories of Roy Williams because of how well Florida’s teams rebound and how fast they play. But would he leave the comfort of the Gators for the pressure in Chapel Hill?
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona coach
Like Golden, Lloyd would qualify as a home-run hire. And like Golden, the buyout situation could be tricky for UNC. Lloyd, 53, has won more than 80% of his games in five seasons at Arizona. After spending 22 seasons as an assistant under Few at Gonzaga, Lloyd has become one of the top leaders in the nation. His teams are consistently good on both ends of the floor and perennial national contenders. But would a West Coast guy want to make the move across the country if things are going so well in Tucson?
Mike Malone, former NBA coach
An underrated possibility, the 54-year-old Malone is a championship-caliber coach and has a daughter who plays volleyball at UNC. He’s been around the Tar Heels’ basketball program at times and has history as a college and NBA coach. Malone led the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title in 2023.
Dusty May, Michigan coach
May, 49, has built a juggernaut this season at Michigan. One of the top coaches in the sport, May led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four before taking over the Wolverines. Since making the move to the Power 5 level, May has put together fun offenses and defenses built on positional size. He's a modern coach built to lead a modern program.
Ben McCollum, Iowa coach
This might seem a bit unorthodox, but McCollum is a proven winner at multiple levels and a program builder. The 44-year-old coach won four Division II national championships before jumping to the Division I level. He's won more than 80% of his games, leading Drake to 31 wins before making the move to Iowa and taking the Haweyes to the NCAA Tournament this season. Imagine what he could do with a blue-blood program?
Nate Oats, Alabama coach
Off-the-court issues in Tuscaloosa and buyout numbers could make this a tricky fit, but the 51-year-old Oats has led the Crimson Tide to five Sweet 16 appearances in the last six seasons. He's also had Carolina's number, with the Tide taking down the Tar Heels on its way to the 2024 Final Four before putting on a show at the Smith Center last season. The pace and offensive efficiency would unquestionably keep fans in seats in Chapel Hill.
T. J. Otzelberger, Iowa State coach
If UNC wants to build its identity around defense, Otzelberger is the guy to do it. The 48-year-old coach has produced top-10 defensive units in four of his five seasons at Iowa State. The Cyclones are elite at creating turnovers. The Heels would have a clear identity and structured program under Otzelberger. Considering what he's built in Ames, this could be UNC's safest, most reliable option.
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: Who replaces Hubert Davis? UNC basketball coaching candidates
Continue reading...
