North Carolina to Hire Michael Malone as Head Coach

DENVER, CO - APRIL 6: Head Coach Michael Malone claps on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena on April 6, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to

Summarized by AI ⓘ

College Sports

SEE ALL

Trendline

Illinois Coach Brad Underwood Reflects on Emotional Season After Final Four Loss

Trendline

Injuries to Key Players Loom Over National Championship Game

Trendline

Notre Dame Baseball Faces Challenges Amid Six-Game Losing Streak

What is the story about?

North Carolina is slated to hire former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone as its next men’s basketball head coach, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported. Malone will replace Hubert Davis, who North Carolina fired almost two weeks ago following a NCAA Tournament first-round loss.

Malone, 54, is the winningest coach in Nuggets franchise history. He accumulated a 471-327 record during his tenure in Denver from 2015-2025 and led the franchise to its only NBA championship in 2023. The Nuggets fired Malone last

April before the end of the regular season, and he has spent the last season at ESPN as an analyst.

From 2003-2025, Malone worked in the NBA as either an assistant or head coach. He has experience as a college assistant, but he has never served as a college head coach.

Since his departure from Denver, Malone had been mentioned — at least by fans — as a popular candidate the Portland Trail Blazers should target as their next head coach. If the Blazers decide this summer to move on from acting head coach Tiago Splitter, now Malone is almost assuredly unavailable.