North Carolina’s coaching change has already started to ripple beyond Chapel Hill, and Jeff Goodman says the effect is being felt in Durham.
The Tar Heels’ move from Hubert Davis to Michael Malone has drawn plenty of attention this offseason, but Goodman’s read on the situation was the sharpest sign yet that the new setup has changed how Duke views its rival. According to Goodman, the Blue Devils did not see Davis as a coach they had to fear. That is no longer the case.
"When you talk to the Duke staff, they were not scared of the previous head coach at North Carolina, Hubert Davis," Goodman said. "They are scared at whatever degree. Maybe not terrified, but they are worried about Michael Malone at Carolina."
That reaction tracks with Malone’s résumé. He arrives with extensive NBA experience and a championship ring from his time as head coach of the Denver Nuggets, a credential that carries real weight when it comes to player development and recruiting. Davis had NBA experience as a player, but Malone brings the kind of coaching track record that shows he can get more out of talent and help players reach - and stick in - the league.
Goodman also pointed out that Malone’s success at the pro level gives him something Jon Scheyer cannot match.
"They've seen the work ethic, and they've also seen, obviously, he can sell something that even Duke and Scheyer cannot, which is, hey, see this ring; this ring was from the NBA, I won a title. So you know there are a few factors here that again instill that fear factor into Scheyer and Duke."
That does not mean Duke is rattled in any dramatic sense. The Blue Devils remain a powerhouse, and nobody is suggesting they are suddenly panicking.
But Goodman’s comments make clear that the staff in Durham sees Carolina differently now. With Malone in place, the Tar Heels look like a program that can create problems on the floor and on the recruiting trail.
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