After North Carolina fired head coach Hubert Davis, a national search commenced. The school was linked to several top coaches in college and the NBA.
Today, the school hired Michael Malone to be the next coach in Chapel Hill. Reactions continue to pour in. Tyler Hansbrough, one of the program’s legends, also offered his opinion on the hire.
Former UNC Great Tyler Hansbrough Supports the Michael Malone Hire
Hansbrough, a three-time All-American and the leading scorer in school history, provided his thoughts to “The Field of 68.”
BREAKING: North Carolina hires Michael Malone! |
Live reaction now with Tyler Hansbrough!!!https://t.co/saBueRPR9y
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 6, 2026
“I’m fired up. As a Tar Heel, I think this is the best decision,” Hansbrough said. “You heard a list of people: Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May. You heard the right people say, ‘Let’s not forget about Mike Malone.’ … This is the most important hire in the history of North Carolina basketball. And I couldn’t be more excited.”
Lloyd, often considered a frontrunner for the job, signed an extension at Arizona. May, who coaches in tonight’s national championship against Connecticut, also made the list. Hansbrough mentioned the “right people” wanting Malone; while that may be ambiguous, it could mean the players (past and present), coaches, or donors. Ultimately, incoming athletic director Steve Newmark made the call to bring Malone into the fold.
“This is a great hire. North Carolina is going to be right back on the map, immediately. This is, in my opinion, an absolutely amazing hire,” Hansbrough added.
North Carolina marks Malone’s first college head coaching position. He started his coaching career as a high school coach in Baltimore before serving as an assistant coach at Oakland, Providence, and Manhattan.
Malone made the jump to the NBA as an assistant with stops with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, and Golden State Warriors. In 2013, he took over as head coach of the Sacramento Kings. His last coaching gig saw him lead the Denver Nuggets to the 2022-23 NBA championship. He was fired after a decade in Colorado last year.
Hansbrough discussed whether Malone would have a grace period and time to settle in.
“Mike Malone is going to come in right away; he’s going to be as resourced as resourced as can be, and he’s going to expect to win right away,” Hansbrough said.
Malone takes over for Davis, who won 69.8% of his games over five seasons, including a trip to the 2022 Final Four. Davis earned a reputation for his team squandering big leads. For instance, in the aforementioned championship game, North Carolina led by 15 at halftime, only to lose by three. This season, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels led by 19 points in the second half before losing to VCU by four.
Malone is the first North Carolina head coach without a prior connection to the university since UNC hired Frank Maguire in 1952. Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge, Matt Doherty, Roy Williams, and Davis either served as an assistant or played for the Tar Heels. This point was not lost on Hansbrough.
“He’s going to have to have somebody to bridge that gap between himself and the family,” he admitted.
The family refers to the long list of former UNC players and coaches. Hiring an assistant with Carolina ties will help in the transition. Building the bond appears important to Hansbrough, who possesses a vested interest in the program.
Hansbrough scored 2,782 points at UNC, which is the most in ACC history. After a seven-year NBA career and four seasons playing in China, Hansbrough returned to campus to work. First, he provided color commentary on the ACC Network before answering another calling; he is a visiting professor at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
Malone will take charge of a blueblood program that’s looking to mix things up and return to juggernaut status. Can he live up to Hansbrough’s ringing endorsement?
