Arizona's Lloyd Makes Headlines With Recent Comments Regarding UNC

Tommy Lloyd continues to be asked about the UNC job opening, and his responses aren’t easing Wildcats fans' minds.

For context, UNC currently has a vacancy for its head coaching position following the university's firing of Hubert Davis after five seasons, the last of which ended in a Round of 64 loss to VCU this season. Now, they’ll need to fill the vacancy with a well-respected coach, and as such, Lloyd’s name continues to pop up in discussions.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd during a press conference ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

UNC Hunting Tommy Lloyd

It isn’t without good reason, as Lloyd has been highly successful since taking the Arizona job in 2021, and this season might be some of his best work yet. At the time of writing, Arizona is 36-2, and in the Final Four for the first time in 25 years. To make matters even more impressive, Lloyd has achieved this much with a roster that starts three freshmen (Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov).

Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) reacts after scoring a three-point field goal against the Purdue Boilermakers during a NCAA Tournament game Saturday, March 28, 2026 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Purdue fell to Arizona 79-64. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After shutting down the initial rumors that he would be departing from Tucson in favor of Chapel Hill last week, while also alluding to the fact that Arizona will remain successful after his departure, Lloyd’s most recent comments ahead of the Final Four are making Arizona fans even more nervous, deflecting the attention towards the current Wildcats team rather than specifically saying that he won’t be taking the UNC job.

Lloyd's Mindset Clear

“It's absolutely true. There's going to be another coach. This is a great program,” Lloyd said. “I didn’t say when. People are going to speculate all they want, this team has my full focus. Nothing, nothing, I promise you, nothing is knocking me off that path. And, you guys might call them distractions because you're distracted. That doesn't mean I'm distracted or we're distracted.”

Mar 25, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd smiles during a practice session ahead of the west regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

“You know what's pretty cool? Once you get some experience in this deal and you're a player or you're a coach who's been at it a while, you get pretty good at eliminating the distractions,” he added. “So, I think I'm pretty good at that. And I just can't wait to get to practice today. I'm going to go meet with the staff right now. We're probably a little bit late, and I'm going to go try to have a good practice.”

Evidently, Lloyd is getting tired of being asked about one of the most prestigious jobs in the country, but until a solid confirmation comes about, Wildcats fans will hold their breath and hope that Lloyd remains in Tucson for the foreseeable future.