North Carolina finds its coach

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may soon have a new men's basketball coach in Michael Malone, formerly of the Denver Nuggets.

• ESPN reported with anonymous sources that the Tar Heels are hiring Malone, calling it an "outside-the-box choice."

Why it matters: The decision would hand the reins of the storied program to an NBA alum at a time when the transfer portal and NIL are increasingly leading college sports to mirror the professional game.

Zoom in: Malone coached the Nuggets for a decade, winning an NBA title with the team in 2023 before being fired at the end of the 2025 season. It was a "shocking exit" for a man who was the winningest coach in franchise history, Axios Denver reported.

• His daughter Bridget Malone is a sophomore on UNC's volleyball team.
• Because of that connection Malone spent time with the program before the season started and spoke with the team, he told the Carolina Insider podcast last October (while decked out in UNC gear).

Between the lines: The school made a similar bet on a former pro-league coach by hiring Bill Belichick last year to coach the football team.

• Belichick's six NFL championships didn't immediately translate to success at the college level. He finished his first season 4-8.

Catch up quick: After a tough loss in the NCAA tournament's first round, Carolina fired its former head coach, Hubert Davis.

• In the nearly two weeks since, the Tar Heels were rumored to be chasing after both college and NBA coaches.

What's next: The university has yet to comment on the rumors, and didn't respond to Axios yesterday.