North Carolina has put itself in the mix for one of the biggest recruiting prizes in the country, and Michael Malone is right in the middle of it.
The Tar Heels are in the hunt for Beckham Black, the consensus No. 1 player in the country according to ESPN, and Duke is expected to be part of the fight as well. Black is reportedly close to lining up visits to Texas, UNC, Miami, Duke and other schools, giving North Carolina at least a real shot to make its case.
Black’s profile is as loud as it gets. ESPN described him as “the best player in the senior class after dramatically improving over the course of a dominant year -- including averaging eight assists and just one turnover for the gold medal-winning Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup.
He also upped his 3-point shooting from 28% last year to 36% this summer, despite increased defensive attention. Black plays with a dynamic swagger, and continuing that productivity will be essential as expectations grow for the No. 1 recruit in the country.”
For Malone, this is the kind of battle that comes with the job at North Carolina. Even with the credibility he built in the NBA - including winning a championship with the Denver Nuggets and coaching Nikola Jokic, the best player in basketball - the pressure around Chapel Hill is different.
He’s also being credited for a strong job in the transfer portal, even if not everyone has given him enough credit for it. Now the challenge is bigger: keep building the roster and try to beat out the usual heavyweights, Duke included, for a player like Black.
There’s no guarantee a visit turns into much, but North Carolina at least has a seat at the table. And for Malone, that means the recruiting battle is on.
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Bill Belichicks first season at North Carolina has already been framed by urgency, and the opener in Dublin only sharpened that feeling. The Tar Heels opened against TCU in Ireland as the program tries to find its footing under one of the sports most scrutinized coaches, while also dealing with off-field turbulence around general manager Mike Lombardi being placed on administrative leave and defensive coordinator Stephen Belichick going on medical leave.
ESPN analyst Booger McFarland added to the pressure with a blunt read on the situation, saying Belichick may be running out of time to get the program headed in the right direction. With a younger roster and expectations for immediate improvement, UNC is already in a spot where patience can feel thin, and every early misstep only makes the next stretch feel more important. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Win Exposed An Early Question About Which Transfers Are Ready
North Carolinas 15-10 win over TCU in Ireland offered an early look at how the Tar Heels transfer class is settling in, and the answers were mixed in a way that should matter as the season builds. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. drew attention for his role in the victory, while defensive lineman Xavier Lewis stood out on the other side of the ball, giving UNC some immediate production from newcomers in a game where every clean snap mattered.
Pro Football Focus grades pointed to a clearer split between the two units, with the defense generally landing higher marks than the offense. A few offensive names, including linebacker Peyton Seelmann and several members of the offensive line, were near the bottom of the grading chart, which suggests the Tar Heels still have some sorting to do as they figure out which transfers are ready to carry bigger roles right away. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone Is Earning Early Buzz UNC Fans Will Care About
Michael Malones arrival in Chapel Hill is already drawing attention well beyond North Carolina, and not just because the Tar Heels turned to a proven coach to guide the next phase of the program. In a recent survey of about 100 college basketball coaches, Malone was ranked among the best hires in this years coaching cycle, a strong early nod for a staff that is trying to reset expectations without losing the programs standard.
There is also a clear sense that Malone is moving quickly to build around the jobs biggest demands. He brought in former Arkansas assistant Chuck Martin to help with recruiting, and North Carolina has added several players through the transfer portal as the roster takes shape. For Tar Heels fans, the encouraging part is not only the buzz around the hire, but the way the new staff is attacking the offseason before the real pressure of the job begins. [Read more 🡒]