Former UNC basketball coach to Michael Malone: 'Embrace history, but don’t be paralyzed by it' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Michael Malone's jump from the NBA to college might put him right where he belongs. The former NBA veteran coach gained knowledge at the next level, but has the style and edginess to thrive for the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program in a new era.
You could even say this bold move by both Tar Heels officials and Malone might be viewed as the most underrated sometime in the future. No other coach has won an NBA title before sliding into a role of developing talent for a league in a two-year span. A rare but fitting opportunity to shake up the game as we know it. Malone's background aligns with the decades of success established by those UNC coaches who came before him. Now he's tasked with putting the pieces together and take the Heels back to the promised land.
At 54, the Queens, New York native who spent over a decade in the league as an assistant before advancing to become a head coach knows timing is everything. Getting fired by the Denver Nuggets after winning a championship wasn't ideal, but the rejection put him on a path to work as an analyst for ESPN—an opportunity not many coaches get right off the bat after hitting the unemployment line. However, Malone wouldn't have tapped in with Kenny Smith during his brief hiatus from coaching and likely wouldn't be at UNC. Talk about perfect timing.
Malone credits "The Jet" for helping him get in the door in Chapel Hill, which is an unlikely pairing in the world of Tar Heels traditions. Smith is one of the most famed alumni involved in the rich history of the program, while Malone is the outsider trying to embrace a family soaked in Carolina blue. One of the hardest conditions for taking the UNC job is realizing it's not another stop or gap-filler on a resume.
Smith saw Malone as the perfect candidate for the job. This led to promoting him behind-the-scenes after Hubert Davis was fired following five seasons at UNC. While the former Nuggets coach wasn't actively looking, this didn't come by accident. Smith's access to the program and his role as an NBA insider bridged the connection to make this possible. All this happened knowing there were no UNC ties with Malone, which really speaks to how one of Carolina's family members was able to help from the outside. While analysts were talking about Billy Donovan, Dusty May and others, Smith presented the right path forward.
“(Malone) has a resume that no one else in college basketball has,” Smith said after Malone's hire was announced.
"He has a resume that no one else in college basketball has."@TheJetOnTNT gives his thoughts on reports of Michael Malone becoming the next head coach at North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/SqgNzv5dvc
Smith not only trusts Malone to do what's best for his beloved alma mater, but also his own family. Kenny's son, Malloy, reaffirmed his commitment to UNC's 2026 basketball recruiting class shortly after Malone entered the frame in Chapel Hill. The NBA legacy and original recruit of Davis will be on the roster for Malone's initial season, leaving "The Jet" more personally invested.
One former coach who understands the nature of the Tar Heels' culture is Matt Doherty. The player-turned-coach won a national championship in 1982 alongside Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, and James Worthy. He returned home to take on head coaching duties from 2000-03 and won AP Coach of the Year honors in his second season.
When UNC hired Malone, Doherty had no reservations about what he could do with the program. As for any tips about what to expect in one of the biggest positions in the basketball world, he kept it simple for the former NBA champion coach.
"Embrace history, but don’t be paralyzed by it," Doherty told Sporting News. "Carolina basketball is unlike anything else in college sports. The banners in the Smith Center carry real weight. The fan base is knowledgeable, passionate, and demanding. The standard isn’t making the tournament; it’s winning it. He needs to understand that going in, eyes wide open.
"Understand he is now a steward of something truly special. Acknowledge it. Celebrate it. Let the players and recruits feel the weight and the privilege of it. Lean into the Carolina family. This program has one of the most powerful networks in all sports. Former players, former coaches, and lifelong fans who bleed Carolina blue are ready to support him if he reaches out and brings them in. That family is an asset most programs can only dream about. Use it."
More:Michael Malone, UNC saved $6 million in NIL by cutting ties with three players
This era in coaching is different from when Doherty was in charge of UNC. One of the biggest curves is handling NIL, the transfer portal, and demands from players who are setting a market with zero rules and regulations. However, nothing changes with the basics of how to recruit other than it's more transactional and less about academics. Some might disagree, but that's the current state of college athletics.
Doherty admires Malone's ability as a "player's coach." Not every coach can demand greatness or bring it out of a player. It's a relationship based on trust. "Michael has a reputation as a relationship-builder and developer of talent," Doherty added. "That has to be front and center from day one. Get in rooms with these young men. Listen. Let them know you see them as people, not pieces.
"Anchor everything to three words: play hard, play smart, play together. Those are the core values Dean Smith built this program on, and they are as relevant today as they were decades ago. They are not a slogan; they are a standard. Every decision Michael makes, every place he recruits, every assistant he hires should be measured against those three principles. When the culture is built on values that are simple and that powerful, everyone in the program knows exactly what is expected."
Malone's rich NBA background with the right temperament for the current college game is an advantage. How do college administrators keep up with the ever-changing landscape when it's evolving to match the pro model? Hire those who've been successful at the next level and set the new industry standard.
This wasn't just UNC basketball reaching out to Malone and securing his immediate future; the same pattern started with UNC football bringing Bill Belichick into Chapel Hill to lead. There is no other college campus in America where you'll find a true pro-style approach like the one at North Carolina. The modern, professional approach to player development and team building will be more commonplace over the next five years.
For Bubba Cunningham and UNC's athletic staff, it's all about trusting the process while keeping the core values intact. There are going to be sweeping changes as NIL and how players are paid become solidified for everyone involved. It's a necessary step to create the best, most competitive environment.