UNC's Malone Has One Massive Advantage Over His Predecessor

Michael Malone has one transfer portal season under his belt, and with all things considered, he did a phenomenal job.

After being hired a bit late in the process, potentially putting him at a disadvantage, Malone did an excellent job of bringing talent to Chapel Hill.

Malone's First Additions to North Carolina

For starters, he landed Neoklis Avdalas, a high-upside offensive facilitator who should lead this Carolina offense when the season finally kicks off. He also landed Terrence Brown and Matt Able, two talented guards who will likely be the first and second scoring options for this Tar Heels team.

Now, as the recruiting cycle for 2027 is in full swing, we’ve seen Malone thrive in gaining traction with many of the highest-ranked recruits. You can feel the excitement from this fanbase, and Malone’s “success” so far has everything to do with it.

I’m not trying to knock Hubert Davis by any means, but the past couple of recruiting cycles haven't brought this level of intrigue and excitement. That being said, what exactly is Malone bringing to the table that Davis couldn’t? The answer seems to lie in the professional experience, and Malone agrees.

Malone's Thoughts

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

"That's the one advantage I think I have," Malone said during an interview with CBS's Jon Rothstein.

"So there's a lot of coaches, they're going to talk to these recruits about, 'Listen, I can help you get to the NBA.' I know what it takes to get to the NBA. I know what it takes to be successful in the NBA. Well, guess what? I can do more than just talk about it. I've done that. I've walked that walk. I've been around five MVPs. I've been around 20+ All-Stars in my many years in the NBA."

"We did win a championship in Denver, the first in franchise history. So those are things that I was a part of. It wasn't me. I was a part of something much bigger than myself."

That sentiment and experience could be the very thing drawing many recruits to North Carolina. As of right now, several top recruits in the 2027 class have some interest in Chapel Hill, and it would be hard to imagine Malone's NBA experience not factoring into that at all.

What Malone is building in Chapel Hill is exactly what Carolina needed. He's using that NBA experience to North Carolina's advantage, giving recruits real evidence that Chapel Hill could be very beneficial to their professional careers.

The college basketball season truly cannot come soon enough. Michael Malone has already given Tar Heels fans one of the most anticipated seasons in quite some time.

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