How Tommy Lloyd Could Help UNC Retain Star

The Tar Heels would benefit greatly from hiring Lloyd, as bringing in the 51-year-old head coach could be a major factor in keeping a cornerstone player.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the first half against the LIU Sharks during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels are in the midst of a head coach search after firing Hubert Davis last week.

There have been plenty of suggestions from the media for who North Carolina should hire as its next head coach. However, college basketball insider Jeff Goodman provided more clarity on the situation, as it appears the Tar Heels are narrowing their options.

Goodman's Report

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."

What This Means for North Carolina

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

The Tar Heels' administration is clearly not settling for these names emerging as the top candidates for the head coach position. With Duke separating itself from the rest of the pack in the ACC, North Carolina needs to hire a formidable coach who can elevate the program back to a perennial Final Four contender.

Underlying Factor by Pursuing Lloyd

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after scoring Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. VCU Rams won 82-78 in OT. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 51-year-old head coach of the Arizona Wildcats has emerged as one of, if not the, favorite for the Tar Heels' head coach position. While it would be an excellent hire by North Carolina's administration, it would also increase the program's chances of retaining their star big man.

Last offseason, the Tar Heels signed Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, who averaged 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 58.9 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from three-point range in his final season in Arizona.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) bites his jersey 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 past season, the 6-foot-11, 224-pound center averaged 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range. As mentioned, Veesaar played for Arizona for two seasons under Lloyd.

That connection could lead the junior center to return to Chapel Hill for a second season, which would be invaluable to North Carolina.