Michael Malone’s Mindset Promising for UNC

Although North Carolina missed out on Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May, the program landed Michael Malone as its next basketball head coach.

It goes without saying that this is a significant move by the Tar Heels, who have struggled to win meaningful games over the last couple of seasons, falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years.

Mar 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In October, Malone was interviewed, and he discussed several key points that are monumental to having success as a coach.

Malone's Thoughts

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

The 54-year-old head coach began by laying out the philosophy and message players must adopt to produce sustained success.

“If you’re in the weight room lifting, you have to get better," Malone said. "If it’s player development, if it’s practice, if it’s film, whatever it may be, you have to find a way, individually and collectively, find a way to get better."

Mar 9, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone talks to guard Jamal Murray (27) during a break in the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

“And when you do that throughout the course of the season, then at the end of the year, you’re going to put yourself in a really good position, because it’s so easy for everybody to say, ‘We want to win the ACC,'" Malone continued. "But are you doing what you’re supposed to do every single day, or did you cut corners in practice? Did you cut corners in the weight room? Then you’re just talking empty words.”

In addition to conveying a clear message to his players, Malone emphasized the importance of establishing a culture. Before winning occurs, a culture must be set and understood by everyone.

Mar 10, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone gestures to his team during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

“Culture is a word that is just obviously used over and over and over again," Malone explained. "And you could walk into a high school gym, a college gym, a pro gym, and you’ll see all these quotes on the wall, or all these big, fancy words on the wall. And I laugh because most of the time those words are all hollow. They look great, they sound great, but it’s not lived every day. They’re hollow words."

Mar 21, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone talks to players during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

“Those are the people that we want to be around every day. If you are self-motivated and have a work ethic, if you are selfless, where ‘Hey, it’s not about me, it’s about us, we over me,’ and you’re willing to trust not only the coaches, but trust each other, we would have a chance to do something special.”

Overall Thoughts

Feb 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone speaks to the media before a game against the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It's not that Hubert Davis did not share these same values, but his inexperience as a head coach and inability to adapt to specific situations were his ultimate downfall. Malone should provide more stability, which will translate into more wins and deeper March runs.