How Michael Malone’s Coaching Has Already Impacted UNC

Things are going to look different with the North Carolina Tar Heels' basketball program this season with Michael Malone taking over as head coach.

Last week, guard Terrence Brown sat down with Jones Angell and Adam Lucas and highlighted the Tar Heels' 2026-27 college basketball season. The Utah transfer spoke about Malone's coaching style and how he has already made an impact on the team.

Brown's Thoughts

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) drives around Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“He’s really intense. He’s super detail oriented," Brown said. "He comes from the NBA, so the highest level. He just wants everything crisp, and he wants everybody to do things the right way when he explains it, so attention to detail."

“Off the court, he’s just a great person," Brown continued. "A caring person that loves to build bonds with everybody around him. You’d think he’s hard off the court, but he’s really just a great person, and he cares about everybody’s feelings and how everybody feels about each other. He just wants to bring everybody together and build that bond with you as a coach, which I really value.”

Malone's Importance

Mar 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, the Tar Heels were perplexingly undisciplined defensively. With Malone at the helm, North Carolina's operation should be at a much higher level. The 54-year-old head coach holds his players to a high standard on both ends of the court. Malone has stated this offseason that the team's success will start on defense, and generating stops will allow the players to get out in transition.

Last season, North Carolina's offensive success was predicated on the frontcourt, but will be the complete opposite in 2026. In the transfer portal, the Tar Heels signed Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, and Matt Able, forming a tantalizing backcourt trio.

Because North Carolina is built around the backcourt, the team will play at an extremely fast pace throughout the season. Malone's preferred style of play correlates perfectly with Brown's skill set, as the 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard is an electrifying athlete.

Brown averaged 19.9 points per game last season, while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three-point range. The senior guard's shooting efficiency should improve vastly in this system. With Avdalas capable of running the offense, deploying Brown off the ball will also manufacture easy looks at the basket. Facilitating at a higher level will also unlock another level of Brown's ceiling. If Brown shows the ability to create for others, it will also open up driving lanes.

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