Michael Malone has accepted an offer to be UNC’s next basketball coach, the first one outside “the family” in most of our lifetimes. Malone became familiar with UNC thanks to his daughter Bridget, a rising sophomore, who plays volleyball for the Tar Heels. While reportedly in the mix to return to the NBA as a head coach, Malone opted instead to step into the vacancy left open for almost two weeks after the dismissal of Hubert Davis.

Inside Carolina reports that Malone will be the second-highest paid coach in college basketball behind Bill Self. Malone agreed to a six-year deal that will average just over $8 million per year. The contract was approved by the Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

Malone won a NBA title with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The star of that team, Nikola Jokic, “the Joker,” entered the NBA as the 41st pick in the 2015 draft. His rookie season and Malone’s first as the Nuggets’ head coach coincided, and Malone helped craft Jokic into one of the NBA’s foremost talents.

Malone brings 12 years of NBA head coaching experience, 10 with the Nuggets and two with the Sacramento Kings. Prior to that, he spent 10 seasons as an assistant with the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Along the way, he developed much respect with UNC’s NBA alumni, such as Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Tyler Hansbrough, who have been praising the hire. Before his professional experience, Malone worked in the college game at Manhattan, Providence, and Oakland.

You can stream the introductory press conference today at 6:00 pm on GoHeels.com or on YouTube. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.