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SPECIAL EDITION

BY ADAM LUCAS

PHOTO BY GARRETT ELLWOOD / GETTY IMAGES

COVER & PRESS CONFERENCE: JEFFREY CAMARATI / UNC ATHLETICS

NEW ERA BEGINS

Michael Malone

aced the public part of his Carolina introduction, then set about handling some of the more subtle—but important—details

Michael Malone had a dynamic debut as Carolina’s head basketball coach, with a terrific introduction to the Tar Heel fan base at his introductory press conference. From wearing a Dean Smith lapel pin to articulating his preferred style of play to navigating the tricky feelings in the wake of the departure of Hubert Davis, he managed to heal the UNC community while also exciting them and beginning the steps to unify them.

And since then, he’s been equally impressive. Winning a press conference is one thing. People want to believe. Beginning the process of running one of the nation’s foremost basketball programs is much more complex.

Even without an extensive background in the college game, Malone looked like a seasoned college veteran in the subsequent days after the press conference. As soon as he walked off the stage at the Smith Center, he met with a group of Rams Club donors who attended his introduction. The response was overwhelmingly positive, which is an important step in an era when fundraising is one of the key components in building a roster.

It’s pretty simple: in the current version of college basketball, it’s impossible to secure a competitive roster without commitment from both the athletic department and the donor base. When the finances are aligned, then the burden shifts to the coaching staff to distribute that money efficiently. Winning championships has gotten even more complicated. It’s still about strategy and talent acquisition, but it’s also about the most effective distribution of resources. Simply assembling the most talented and highest-priced roster doesn’t guarantee a championship.

With that in mind, Malone left the meeting with the donors and immediately returned to the basketball office, where he had strategy sessions with his staff until nearly midnight.

Step one, naturally: figure out the roster. Even an NBA world champion head coach needs players. Beginning the very next day, returning players—even those who had already entered their name in the transfer portal—met with Malone to get to know each other and understand his vision for the program. Jaydon Young announced his return to Chapel Hill almost immediately, and incoming signee Maximo Adams also recommitted. That’s an important piece, as Adams was one of the few players Malone mentioned by name during his early days on the job. Jarin Stevenson has also indicated his intention to return to Chapel Hill.

“I LOVE THIS HIRE. HE IS TOUGH, DEMANDING AND PROVEN AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. WE WILL BE DISCIPLINED AND WE WILL BE READY TO PLAY. NOW IT’S UP TO ALL OF US TO RALLY BEHIND HIM AND GET CAROLINA BASKETBALL BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG.” -MAKHTAR NDIAYE

Even once the transfer portal closes on April 21, that’s not the end of the roster building process. Some players will enter the NBA Draft and go through the workout process (Henri Veesaar very likely falls into this category) to ascertain their NBA readiness. That means the Tar Heels will need to maintain some flexibility. Veesaar is not only a possible All-America candidate if he chooses to play another season in Chapel Hill. He’s also the type of player who will require a sizable financial commitment, meaning the Tar Heels may not know exactly how they want to deploy their funds until they get a definitive answer from him.

But then there’s also another potential pool of talent that doesn’t have as many concrete timelines: the international market. Malone was clear in his initial interviews he wants to explore the talent pool overseas. Those arrangements, and the associated NCAA eligibility process, can sometimes linger into the fall—as Carolina learned first-hand last season with the Luka Bogavac saga.

Right now, though, the fall seems a long time away. There are players to sign, a staff to assemble and a program to organize.

For example, what are Malone’s scheduling preferences? An NBA slate only includes home and away games. In the current college market, it’s possible to play multiple neutral site games to bolster revenue while also giving fans an appealing (and financially lucrative) home slate. Some coaches want to focus on prioritizing the budget. Others prefer to stack as many wins as possible. That decision—along with many more—is now Malone’s to make.

INSIGHTS FROM THE CAROLINA FAMILY

PHOTOS BY PEYTON WILLIAMS, MAGGIE HOBSON, STEVE KIRSCHNER, J.D. LYON, JR., JEFFREY CAMARATI AND UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Before his introductory press conference, Michael Malone met with approximately a dozen former Tar Heel players who were already in town for the event. We asked several of those attendees for their thoughts on their first meeting with the new Tar Heel head coach.

“Coach Malone gave us a feeling of respect and understood what Carolina Basketball means to everyone who was standing in that room. He said he wants to honor that tradition and it is important to him that we are heard. He wants to bring us together even more than ever before. It was an energizing meeting.”

-DEON THOMPSON

“It was obvious that he wants to be here. I appreciate that he wants to be innovative while also honoring the tradition of Carolina Basketball. He came across as very genuine and authentic to me, and said that his door is always open to us and wants to keep us involved.”

-MARCUS GINYARD

“Even though he may not have known us all personally, it was amazing how many connections he still had to us through his career in basketball. When I mentioned I was teammates with Jawad, he immediately talked about their time together in Cleveland. It was a good way to show that even though we might not know each other yet, we still had some commonalities in our backgrounds.”

-MELVIN SCOTT

“Coach Malone was very engaging with our group. He realizes what makes Carolina Basketball so special. It’s not just all the wins, but all the players and coaches who have come before him. He is excited to join the family.”

-EDDIE FOGLER

“After meeting Coach Malone, I’m even more confident he’s the right guy. You can feel his competitiveness and his drive, and he clearly understands what Carolina means. I’m excited to see him lead this program forward.”

-TYLER HANSBROUGH

After two decades in the NBA, Michael Malone has an extensive network of basketball contacts that naturally includes several former Tar Heels. Several of them provided their insight on the type of coach who is now leading the program.

“He’s an old school, hard-nosed, New York type of guy. He encourages his players and he’s very supportive. He can see what a player can become before it happens. That’s what he did with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He also does things the right way, which is the Carolina Way. He respects the Carolina Family and understands how it works. He wants to be a part of that group.”

-DANNY GREEN

“Michael Malone is relentless as far as being innovative and being ahead of the game. He implemented some things in Denver that were very forward-thinking. In my time in Cleveland with him, I was blown away. Not just in the way he understands the game, but in how he talks to the players and gets it to translate to the court…

When I played for Coach (Dean) Smith, he gave us confidence. He would draw something up and make us believe it would work. When you believe in a coach who has been there before, it’s easy to fall in line. Coach Malone has some of those same characteristics.”

-ANTAWN JAMISON

“I was always a fan of his while playing against him during his Denver days. I loved his coaching style and who he was as a person, and I’m glad he’s on our side now.”

-JOHN HENSON

“Coach Malone gets after it! He pushes players to get better and has a great passion and intensity for the game. He had the respect of the Carolina Family well before he took the job, because so many of us have worked with him previously. We are all well aware of what he brings to the table.”

-JAWAD WILLIAMS

PHOTO BY GARRETT ELLWOOD / GETTY IMAGES

THE NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS HERE

The landscape of college athletics has changed significantly over the past few years, but one constant remains: Carolina’s commitment to a tradition of excellence.

A new chapter in Carolina Basketball starts today – with your support. Winning at the highest level will take all of us. Now is the time to give Coach Malone and his team the tools to deliver championships. Help us raise another banner in the rafters!

GIVE TO THE CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL EXCELLENCE FUND

The Excellence Fund allows Carolina to direct resources where they are needed most, including roster management, coaching talent, and player development. Your support of the Excellence Fund ensures the program remains competitive and positioned for long-term success.

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