UNC Loses Key Coaching Staff Addition

In the final days of the transfer portal, the Tar Heels suffered a significant coaching staff loss.

Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It has been an up-and-down offseason for the North Carolina Tar Heels, and Sunday provided another downward slope for the program's outlook next season.

Days after accepting a job on Michael Malone's coaching staff, former Providence head coach Kim English removed himself as an assistant, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Mar 12, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Providence Friars head coach Kim English against the St. John's Red Storm during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

"Sources: Kim English has informed UNC officials that he's decided not to pursue an assistant coach position at North Carolina," Thamel reported.

What This Means for the Tar Heels

Mar 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone before the game against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

At his introductory press conference earlier this month, Malone stated that he wanted to assemble a coaching staff to elevate the whole operation.

• “As I hire my staff, I want to hire guys that have great contacts, not only in the country, but around the world, so we can continue to bring the best players here and help them develop so we can field the best team,” Malone said. 

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

• “As I continue to build a staff and have great coaches around me that cannot only help me, but also challenge me to become the best coach that I can be at this level,” Malone continued. “And I have no doubt that’s going to be a process that I attack.”

The 54-year-old head coach's first hire was Arkansas' assistant Chuck Martin, who had served under John Calipari at Kentucky and Arkansas. The 57-year-old coach's ability to recruit has been apparent at both stops and is especially impressive with the Razorbacks, who are not considered a blue-blood program. Despite that, Martin has delivered top-flight recruiting classes in each of the last two years. Martin explained how he can make an impact in the personnel department.

Nov 13, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks assistant coach Chuck Martin looks on as head coach John Calipari reacts to a non call in the second half against the Troy Trojans at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 65-49. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

• “I’ve always been a connector, and whether it’s here or any of the other places I’ve been, my role is to connect people to make sure that I bridge the gap between our players and staff,” Martin said. “There are so many things going on today - NIL, social media, transfer portal, you can get lost. So, I’ve always felt like I want to connect the office. I want to make sure that we’re all on the same page and sharing the information that’s necessary to make direct decisions.”

That said, English's experience as an NBA player and as a head coach at Providence and George Mason was supposed to add another element to the Tar Heels. Obviously, that will not be the case, and now Malone has to juggle that departure with the transfer portal closing on April 21.