North Carolina’s decision to hand the program to Michael Malone has already drawn a strong reaction from the coaching world, and the sentiment is pretty clear: plenty of his peers think UNC landed the top name in the college basketball cycle.
One anonymous coach didn’t bother softening the take. “I don't give a flying f-ck [about all the other candidates].
It ain't even close. Mike Malone is the best hire by far.
… The guy won an NBA championship,” the coach said, per CBS.
Another coach made the case in a more measured way, pointing to how the modern game has blurred the line between college and pro basketball. “Very difficult to argue against Malone given his track record and the similarities between college and pro basketball today.
You cannot question his coaching acumen, and 'recruiting' is much more 'roster building' when you have UNC's resources. Coach Malone has always gotten the most out of his teams.
The old-school 'can he recruit?' question for NBA guys is moot here,” the coach said.
That praise tracks with Malone’s NBA résumé, which has been built on winning at a high level. With North Carolina’s resources behind him, there’s a real belief that he’s positioned to stay successful for a long time if he doesn’t return to the NBA.
Still, there’s at least one wrinkle in the argument: college basketball asks a different set of questions than the NBA does. Winning on the pro level is one thing, but managing recruiting battles and all the other demands of the college game is a different challenge altogether.
And there’s another reason to be careful with the comparison. The source of Malone’s success in the NBA came with a roster built around veterans and a superstar like Nikola Jokic, not 18- to 22-year-old players. That makes the leap to Chapel Hill worth watching, even if the early reaction around the sport says UNC’s move was the right one.
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For the Tar Heels, the timing looks promising because Anderson is scheduled to end his tour in Chapel Hill on Oct. 30. When a top-10 talent is weighing options this early in the cycle, the order of visits can shape the conversation as much as any pitch, and UNC will get the final chance to make its case after he has seen the rest of the field. Even with a recent hip injury in the background, Anderson remains one of the most coveted guards in the country, which only raises the stakes for how that last stop plays out. [Read more 🡒]
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UNC May Have Found A New Weapon For Belichicks Offense
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For a Tar Heels offense still settling into its identity, Thurmans impact stood out because it came right away and in a role that can create mismatches all over the field. Belichick also pointed to Thurmans key contributions during the game, a notable sign that Carolina may already have found a dependable option at tight end, even if the bigger picture around how often hell be featured is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]