Jaydon Young didn’t need much time to feel the difference at North Carolina.
As UNC opened preseason practice this week, the senior guard got his first extended look at Michael Malone running a full practice environment in Chapel Hill, and the first impression was immediate. Malone’s voice, urgency and belief in the group stood out from day one.
“Honestly, the energy level on the very first day was kind of eye-opening,” Young told reporters Thursday. “Just to see the passion that he brought to it.”
That kind of edge may end up defining Malone’s first Tar Heel team. The new head coach comes to UNC after spending most of his career in the NBA, including guiding the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship. Now back in college basketball, he’s bringing a different rhythm to the program, and the players are already noticing it.
Some of that change is easy to see right away. There’s shooting work before and after practice, and the pace and intensity inside the gym have been described as noticeably sharper. Sophomore Isaiah Denis also talked Thursday about the increased practice intensity.
For Young, the shift is about more than just harder workouts. It’s the way Malone carries himself and the way he has set the tone with the roster.
That matters for a UNC team trying to stitch together 11 newcomers with a small returning core. Young, Jarin Stevenson,z and Isaiah Denis are among the players tasked with helping connect last season’s version of the Tar Heels to whatever Malone is building now.
That kind of makeover doesn’t happen overnight. New terminology has to be learned.
Roles have to take shape. Players from different schools and backgrounds have to figure out how they fit together.
Still, Young’s comments make one thing clear: Malone isn’t treating this like a cautious reset.
There’s a real belief around the program that this group can be good.
And for Young, that confidence may be just as important as the work itself. If these first few practices are any indication, Malone is pushing the transition forward with plenty of passion.
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Michael Malone May Have Revealed Isaiah Denis UNC Role
Michael Malone has already offered a small glimpse into how Isaiah Denis might fit with North Carolina this season, and it starts with a nickname. The Tar Heels coach has been calling the sophomore guard Bones, a nod to former Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, while also using Denis at point guard in practice. For a player whose freshman year was slowed by injury, that is a meaningful sign of trust and a reminder that the staff sees more than just another guard in the rotation.
The point-guard work matters because it hints at a larger backcourt role, one that could let Denis operate as a versatile perimeter threat rather than a one-position option. If the comparison to Hyland is any indication, North Carolina may be preparing to lean on Denis for shot-making, pace and creativity as he gets healthier and settles in. The exact shape of that role is still unfolding, but the early usage suggests the Tar Heels have a clear plan in mind. [Read more 🡒]