Michael Malone kicks off his collegiate head coaching career tonight at 7 p.m., leading the UNC men’s basketball team against the Eric Musselman-led USC Trojans. This isn’t just a new season, it’s a whole new era for North Carolina after their 2025-26 campaign imploded with a 19-point collapse against VCU in the NCAA Tournament. Hubert Davis was out, Malone was in less than a month later, fresh off an NBA Championship in 2023 and 510 wins as an NBA head coach. But while the Tar Heels are ready to showcase their re-loaded roster, USC is heading into this exhibition game severely short-handed.
Malone’s Era: NBA Champion Takes Collegiate Reins
This guy’s no stranger to high stakes. Malone spent 12 years as an NBA head coach, racking up 510 wins and snagging the 2023 NBA Championship. Before that, he paid his dues as an assistant at Oakland (MI), Providence, and Manhattan. Now, he’s bringing that championship pedigree to Chapel Hill. He’s already made moves, hitting the transfer portal hard to re-load the roster. We’re talking international talent like Sayon Keita from FC Barcelona and Alexandros Samodurov from Panathinaikos, plus keeping high school recruits like Maximo Adams home. Jarin Stevenson is back from last year’s squad, one of a three-man returning group, but Malone’s made it clear: nobody’s guaranteed playing time. This is a fresh start for everyone, and it starts tonight.
Trojans Hit Hard by Injuries Before the First Whistle
Talk about a brutal start for USC. Head coach Eric Musselman is facing UNC tonight without *three* of his top players. Senior guard KJ Lewis, who dropped nearly 15 points per game as a starter at Georgetown last year, is out with an ankle injury. Then there’s sophomore center Eric Reibe, a towering 7’1″ backup from national runner-up UConn, sidelined by a foot injury. And if that wasn’t enough, freshman forward Christian Collins, who averaged over 25 PPG in his senior year at St. John Bosco, is also out with an undisclosed injury. This is a massive blow for their first exhibition game, leaving significant holes in the lineup against a UNC team eager to prove themselves under a new coach.
Tonight’s 7 p.m. exhibition in Greensboro is just the start for UNC. They’ve got two more exhibitions coming up: October 18 at Indiana and October 27 against Charlotte. Then the real fun begins with their season opener on November 2 against Western Carolina. With Malone at the helm and a re-vamped roster, the Tar Heels are looking to rewrite their story, starting now. USC has to figure out how to navigate these early games without their key guys, but this is the first look at what Malone is building.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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