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The UNC Tar Heels are dipping into the NBA pool for their next men’s basketball coach.
After Hubert Davis was fired following a shocking loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament earlier this month, the Tar Heels are ready to hire Michael Malone, according to ESPN.
North Carolina was previously linked to top college coaches, including Michigan’s Dusty May, who will compete for an NCAA title Monday night against UConn. But May took his name out of any cross-college running, while Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger were also rumored to be in the Tar Heels’ favor.
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Head coach Michael Malone claps on the sideline during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on April 6, 2025. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
But Malone, who has led the Denver Nuggets for the past 10 seasons, is the man they set to lead the Tar Heels back to greatness.
Malone is the winningest coach in Nuggets history, tallying 471 career wins throughout his career there, while also winning an NBA title in 2023.
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However, despite what he means to the franchise record books, Malone was fired by the Nuggets in April 2025. He quickly entered sports media, joining ESPN in May 2025, but he’s back in the saddle now in a whole new collegiate world compared to the pros.
Perhaps North Carolina wouldn’t have been looking for another head coach had Davis and the Tar Heels not collapsed against No. 10 VCU in the first round, as the Rams mounted the biggest first-round comeback in tournament history to ultimately defeat No. 6 UNC in overtime, 82-78.
“We appreciate everything Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader — he’s helped create special memories we’ll never forget,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision because of Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level.”
Davis, who made four NCAA Tournament appearances, including the last three seasons, during his five campaigns with the Tar Heels, released his own statement on the matter.
Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets watches the game against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California on April 4, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
“Tonight I was released by the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill,” he wrote. “My desire was to continue coaching here. This opportunity has truly been such a blessing. I thank Jesus literally every day for giving me the opportunity, relationships and experiences with the kids and my staff. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish together.”
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Davis added that he hopes to become a coach “in the near future.”
Davis, who played at UNC from 1988-92 before becoming a first-round pick of the New York Knicks in 1992, left the program with about $5.3 million still guaranteed from his contract, according to ESPN.
Davis went 125-54 during his 179-game tenure with his alma mater, which included a first-year Final Four appearance during the 2021-22 campaign. The Tar Heels reached the national championship game, falling to the Kansas Jayhawks, who also overcame a double-digit deficit to be crowned champions.
Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets looks on during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California on April 4, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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After missing out on March Madness in 2023, the Tar Heels earned themselves a No. 1 seed in 2024, but were taken down by No. 4 Alabama in the Sweet 16, cutting their national title hopes short. Still, Davis earned himself the ACC Coach of the Year Award that year.
The Tar Heels are looking to return to the Roy Williams days, when the legendary UNC head coach led his team to six NCAA titles during his tenure, the most recent coming in 2017.
