After Tommy Lloyd decided to remain with the Arizona Wildcats, there have been plenty of rumors and speculation over who will be the North Carolina Tar Heels’ next head coach.
Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines and Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies are preparing for the national championship game, but ESPN has floated both coaches as potential targets for UNC.
Dusty May, Dan Hurley Emerge as UNC Coaching Targets to Replace Hubert Davis
Hubert Davis became head coach of the Tar Heels in 2021, having previously served as an assistant coach for nearly a decade. While his tenured features ups and downs, the team’s collapse in the 2026 NCAA Tournament played a major role in his termination.
UNC star Caleb Wilson suffered a season-ending injury ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, which capped the team’s ceiling in March Madness. However, nobody expected to lose in the first round to No. 11 VCU, especially after building a 19-point lead over the Rams. VCU pulled off the largest comeback in first-round history and Davis was fired shortly after.
In the aftermath of Davis’ firing, several top-tier coaches, including Tommy Lloyd, were listed as potential candidates to take over the Tar Heels.
However, the Arizona coach recently announced that he is remaining with the Wildcats after agreeing to a contract extension that effectively secures him through the 2030–31 season.
Now, ESPN is mentioning May and Hurley as potential targets for UNC alongside Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
“ESPN is reporting that North Carolina’s top-tier target list includes Dan Hurley, who could get a call if he hasn’t already,” college basketball insider Adam Zagoria posted with a graphic from ESPN’s broadcast. “I don’t see Danny leaving UConn if they reach out, but it can’t hurt to call.”
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May’s Wolverines have been nothing short of phenomenal in the NCAA Tournament this year. They scored 90 or more points in five straight games, becoming the first team in history to achieve that feat. Michigan junior center Aday Mara was a force to be reckoned with in the Final Four, putting up 26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. The last time the Wolverines won the title was in 1989.
On the other hand, the Huskies are one win away from their third national championship in four years, a ridiculous feat that explains why Hurley is such a highly coveted candidate for North Carolina.
