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North Carolina

Jon Rothstein reveals 'major factor' in UNC's hiring of Michael Malone as head coach

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz04/06/26NickSchultz_7

After missing out on some top targets, North Carolina quickly pivoted to former NBA coach Michael Malone as its next head coach to replace Hubert Davis. It seemed like a surprise hire, but CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein cited one “major factor” in the decision.

Malone spent this season away from coaching after his departure from the Denver Nuggets, instead working for ESPN as part of its NBA coverage. That means North Carolina did not have to pay a buyout to get him, which the school would have had to do for other targets such as Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington or Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland. UNC was also pursuing Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and would have also been due to pay a buyout.

By hiring Malone, North Carolina saved the money. Rothstein pointed out Byington and McCasland notably have sizable figures in their contracts.

“Another thing I want to point out right now: A major factor in this hire was the fact that North Carolina did not have to pay a buyout to get Michael Malone,” Rothstein said. “You have to remember … other candidates down the list – like Mark Byington from Vanderbilt, like Grant McCasland from Texas Tech – had buyouts in excess of $10 million.

“Michael Malone also spent a lot of time at North Carolina because his daughter is a volleyball player there, and I was told attended practice last season four or five times. So there’s familiarity there with Mike Malone, obviously the first hire, though, in a very, very long time to not have a tie to the North Carolina family.”

When UNC’s pursuit of Michael Malone ramped up

Michael Malone last coached at the college level in 2001 as an assistant coach at Manhattan after previously working at Oakland under Greg Kampe from 1995-98. After stints with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and Golden State Warriors as an assistant, he got his first head coaching opportunity with the Sacramento Kings in 2013. In 2015, Malone became the Denver Nuggets’ head coach and led the franchise to a title in 2023.

As North Carolina went through its search to replace Hubert Davis, who spent the last five years at the helm, Malone’s name was not a hot one in the process. Inside Carolina listed him on its initial Hot Board as a potential candidate outside of the top-tier targets, but Rothstein said the process kicked into high gear on Monday.

Of course, the transfer portal opens Tuesday, marking a key date in the search. That was a factor in the pursuit of Billy Donovan since the Bulls’ season doesn’t end until April 12.

“This came together this morning,” Rothstein said Monday. “As of early this morning, North Carolina was still obviously going through its search and going down its list after not having an opportunity to hire both Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May.

“Billy Donovan … was not going to engage with North Carolina and discussions about this job until after the Bulls’ season ends on Sunday. North Carolina’s administration and the search committee that obviously worked on this search that made the decision that they needed to have urgency to make a hire with the transfer portal looming tomorrow when it officially opens up.”