Michael Malone joins another UNC head coach as collegiate first-timer

A new era of UNC basketball is officially here. On Monday, the Tar Heels hired Michael Malone to be their next head coach.

Malone brings a successful track record to Chapel Hill, with 500+ wins and an NBA Championship, across his 12 seasons as a professional head coach. Malone will be a first-time leader at the collegiate level , but people feel confident about his ability for a seamless transition.

Malone isn't the only recent North Carolina coach to make this transition, from a successful pro career to a first-time head coach in college.

Back in December 2024, UNC hired Bill Belichick to be its head football coach . With 333 victories, 17 AFC East titles and eight Super Bowls, Belichick seemed liked a logical choice.

The Tar Heels struggled in Year One under Belichick, finishing 4-8 and only beating two Power Four teams. Now that Belichick has an entire year under his belt, the hope is for North Carolina to turn back into a consistent winner on the football field.

Unlike Belichick, UNC isn't Malone's first taste of coaching at the collegiate level. Malone spent the 1994-95 college basketball season as an assistant an Oakland (MI) University. From 95-98, Malone was on staff at Providence College, before spend 1999-2001 at Manhattan University.

As the transfer portal progresses, expect Malone to land key pieces for the Tar Heels' 2026-27 roster. There's already some interest, but no commitments just a few days in.

North Carolina will get a major boost from Luka Bogavac's return , while Derek Dixon could elect to withdraw his name from the portal. Regardless of who chooses to don the UNC uniform this fall, exciting times are ahead in Chapel Hill.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC is first college coaching stop for Michael Malone, Bill Belichick