North Carolina’s Administration Focused on One Key Thing

The Tar Heels made an announcement on Saturday that signals the current mindset of the basketball program.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Kyan Evans (0) in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While the future of the Dean E. Smith Center has been a polarizing topic throughout the season, Hubert Davis’ firing last week has been at the forefront of the news.

That is how the North Carolina Tar Heels are viewing the situation with the same mindset, as the university released a statement about the future of their arena.

What Was Said

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) looks on during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

• “The University of North Carolina is suspending ongoing discussions about the future of the Smith Center in order to focus on identifying and selecting a new head men’s basketball coach,” The university said in a statement. “Arena discussions will resume after the new coach has had time to acclimate to the program and focus on future needs.”

What This Means

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis instructs his team against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This is how North Carolina should be handling the process. First and foremost, the Tar Heels must identify and hire a head coach whom they feel can elevate this program back to a Final Four contender.

Additionally, North Carolina has fallen behind Duke in the ACC and was not viewed as a legitimate threat in the conference with Davis at the helm, according to college basketball insider Jeff Goodman.

Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• "I had really hoped he was the coach forever," the anonymous coach said. "No one in the ACC was scared of him. I'm worried that they hire someone really good now because if you get a big-time guy at UNC, they could be right there with Duke again."

North Carolina's urgency and focus on the hiring process are reflected in Goodman's latest update on the coaching search.

Mar 28, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd walks off the court after an Elite Eight game against the Purdue Boilermakers of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

• "My sources have told me it's unlikely Dusty May takes it," Goodman explained. "I'm not going to say there's no chance, but as I've said before, Dustin May is very happy at Michigan. To me, it falls to Tommy Lloyd being the guy at the top of the list. Arizona doesn't have the money like people think. The other part is, how happy is [Lloyd] with the administration and does he want to travel across the country."

• "The other part of this is Billy Donovan," Goodman continued. "The thing with Billy [Donovan] is, unless you tell him he is the guy, Billy's not going to want to go through the process. I've never seen anybody talk to more people, think about things, process things more than Billy Donovan. So, Billy is going to take a week."

Mar 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on from the bench during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

With the transfer portal opening on April 7, the Tar Heels cannot afford to wait too long to hire their new head coach.