Word got out Monday afternoon that UNC has hired Mike Malone, most recently head coach of the Denver Nuggets and winner of the 2023 NBA championship, as its next coach.
Reactions are mixed.
Many UNC fans were baffled, but that’s not surprising. Like most fans, they aren’t steeped in the business side of basketball. That’s fine—unless they start offering uninformed opinions.
Among more informed people, the verdict is still split. Start with the positive: Malone is a basketball lifer. His father, Brendan,
was an NBA coach, and the game is clearly in his blood.
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called it a good hire. So did Dan Dakich, who noted that former NBA players such as Juwan Howard (whom he called an idiot), Chris Mullin, and Chris Ewing all struggled in college.
Malone, however, was never an NBA player; he has been a coach since he graduated from college.
Former Tar Heel Kenny Smith, who was involved in the search, was impressed. Several informed observers said the same about people who worked with Malone in the NBA.
Bomani Jones was skeptical, questioning whether Malone could adapt to the college game. “What’s the big deal about waiting a week for Billy Donovan?” he asked.
One clear upside: no buyout. After committing to paying off Hubert Davis’s full contract and Bill Belichick’s big contract, that alone was appealing.
The transfer portal may have played a role, too. One report said incoming athletic director Steve Newmark grew concerned about the timing there.
The bigger question is whether Malone can adjust to college basketball. He is widely described as hard-working and detail-oriented—strong coaching traits. Still, he is moving from grown men with families and mortgages to 18- to 22-year-olds who cannot legally drink. The sport is the same, but the psychology is not.
Malone is also known for his intensity, which can be an asset. One source called it an upgrade over Hubert Davis. Others are less sure.College coaching demands far more teaching than the NBA, and the best teachers push players without belittling them. A long list of intense college coaches—Virginia’s Dave Leitao, Bob Knight, and Lou Campanelli among them—have run into trouble when intensity crossed into toxicity.
Then there is Malone’s NBA record. He won a championship, but the numbers are telling. As Cody Nagel noted on X:
- With Nikola Jokić: 449–293 (.605)
- Without Nikola Jokić: 61–101 (.377)
That’s both fair and unfair. NBA coaches have limited roster control, and Malone inherited a dysfunctional Sacramento team before Denver. Still, a talent like Jokić should produce wins.
What ultimately went wrong in Denver? Two main issues. First, a clash with the GM, who wanted a younger roster while Malone preferred veterans—a common front-office tension. Second, and more serious: reports say Malone lost the locker room. Players allegedly felt he favored Jokić and other stars, and his intense style and outbursts reportedly grew tiresome.
That is a genuine concern at the college level. Just this week, toxic cultures surfaced in women’s programs at Virginia (where Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was forced out) and Tennessee (where the entire team entered the portal amid complaints about Kim Caldwell).
In the NBA, a player like Aaron Gordon is locked in through 2028–29. In Chapel Hill, players can enter the portal any Tuesday.
Yesterday we suggested that if UNC couldn’t land a proven coach quickly, it should hire former assistant Marcus Paige and surround him with experienced staff to help him grow. Malone, with his vast pro experience, doesn’t face the same learning curve—but he would still be smart to hire someone who knows college basketball intimately. A coach like Jerome Tang, recently let go by Kansas State, could help him navigate recruiting, NIL, boosters, and the nuances of the college game.
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