Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd is having a successful season with the Wildcats, starting with a 23-game winning streak, winning the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, and earning one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats are in the middle of their chase for a second national title and their first in 29 years, and they are scheduled to face No. 4 seed Arkansas in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. All these positive developments have catapulted him into the conversation for the biggest job opening in the NCAA right now: the North Carolina head coaching position.
Tommy Lloyd Shrugs Off UNC Rumors To Focus on Arizona’s NCAA Tournament Run
Lloyd was one of the rumored candidates in the Tar Heels’ head coaching search, a day after the program parted ways with veteran coach Hubert Davis, who was fired following another first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.
During a media session before his team’s Sweet 16 game against Arkansas, he was asked about the coaching vacancy and whether he was interested in the job. The 51-year-old Arizona head coach did not give a direct answer; instead, he shifted focus back to his current role as the Wildcats’ head coach.
“I already have one of the best jobs in the country,” Lloyd said. “And one thing we talk about in our program all the time — and I think I’ve gotten better at it, and I think our team’s been crushing it this year — is just the ability to have full focus and be present in the moment.”
Tommy Lloyd on the North Carolina opening 👀
“I already have one of the best jobs in the country. One thing we talk about all the time is the ability to have full focus and be present in the moment… I think we have a chance to advance in this tournament. This team deserves my… pic.twitter.com/T26f6O1SuQ
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 25, 2026
The fifth-year Arizona coach assured Wildcats fans that he is committed to winning this season and is excited about the team’s upcoming showdown with the Razorbacks, led by former national champion coach John Calipari and standout guard Darius Acuff Jr.
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“I think we have a chance to advance in this tournament game by game, but I’m not delusional,” Lloyd said. “I know we could lose tomorrow, but this team deserves my full focus. So, there’s not one thing that is going to knock me off my path. I’m 100% focused on Arizona basketball and this program, and I can’t wait till the ball gets thrown up tomorrow and then can’t wait to try to figure out a way to come out on top.”
Aside from Lloyd, reports have emerged about other head-coaching candidates for the North Carolina position. The list features current coaches in the NCAA and NBA, including Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger, Michigan’s Dusty May, Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington, former national champion and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, and Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
READ MORE: Billy Donovan, Tommy Lloyd Lead North Carolina’s Wish List After Hubert Davis Firing
On Wednesday, reports indicated Stevens removed himself from consideration to remain focused on the Celtics’ basketball operations.
Otzelberger also shot down reports linking him to North Carolina, saying that he is thrilled to be the coach of Iowa State and looks forward to future success in Ames.
