It took a Hall of Famer, Roy Williams himself, to convince NBA champion Michael Malone to take the North Carolina job, after Malone admitted he turned it down three separate times. Malone, who just led the Denver Nuggets to a title in 2023, felt he was “finally at peace” staying in the NBA, committed to his professional journey. But those plans went out the window after “a couple of conversations” with the legendary Williams.
Malone’s Shocking Jump to College Hoops
Seriously, who saw this coming? The college basketball world was absolutely buzzing after North Carolina’s coaching search went on for almost two weeks. They’d even made a huge push for Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, right in the middle of his Final Four run. But when that fell through, UNC pulled off a move that shocked everyone: bringing in Michael Malone, a longtime NBA coach with minimal college experience. Think about it, the guy just won an NBA championship, and now he’s coaching in Chapel Hill for his first college head coach gig. This is completely untraditional for UNC, a program famous for hiring coaches from their own “North Carolina family.” The last time they went outside that circle was way back in 1952 with Frank McGuire.
The Roy Williams Factor Is Real
So what changed Malone’s mind after three solid “no’s”? He told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein that Hall of Famer Roy Williams had “a lot to do with me taking this job.” Malone said he “just met him and just got to know him, but I felt like I’ve known him for years.” That’s the kind of impact Williams has, right? Malone added that Williams’ “passion that he has” for the university and the program truly “resonated” with him. And get this, Williams has been “unbelievably welcoming” to Malone and his family, even being around the program. Malone actually told Williams it’s “really important to me to have Roy be part of this program because I know how much it means.” That’s a huge statement, showing just how much Williams’ influence sealed the deal.
Bridging the UNC Tradition Gap
Malone knows he’s an outsider for North Carolina, but he’s already got a plan to connect with that rich tradition. He told Rothstein he put his staff together “with intent and purpose,” keeping former player and national champion Sean May, who was a lottery pick, on his staff. That’s a smart move to maintain that “connection with the past and the tradition of excellence and winning.” Plus, he brought in Chuck Martin, a close friend of 30 years, as his associate head coach. Malone is just getting started on his first season at the college level, and everyone’s watching to see how this untraditional hire plays out. What a ride this is going to be!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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