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Why is UNC hiring Michael Malone? Tar Heels make stunning decision to bring in former Nuggets coach originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The University of North Carolina is hiring Michael Malone to be its next head coach, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
The Tar Heels were in need of a new head coach after firing Hubert Davis following a first-round exit in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. North Carolina has long been known for having a head coach with ties to the program, but with Davis' departure, a look outside the "Carolina coaching tree" could have been possible.
North Carolina was linked to Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May over Final Four weekend, but coaches made it clear that they were staying at their programs. The Tar Heels were also tied to current Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, but UNC opted to go with Malone, who is a former head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
Here is more on why North Carolina hired Malone as its next head coach.
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Why is UNC hiring Michael Malone?
Malone has plenty of coaching experience. He was a college assistant for three schools from 1994 to 2001. Malone then made the jump to the NBA as an assistant from 2001 to 2013. He then got his first chance to be a head coach at any level, taking the job as head coach of the Sacramento Kings in 2013.
Malone lasted just one full season, and after an 11-13 start to the 2014-2015 season, he was fired by Sacramento. He was then hired by the Nuggets the next season and spent 10 years with the organization, winning the 2023 NBA Championship.
This article will be updated.
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