Michael Malone's Place in the ACC Coaching Rankings

Here a look at how Malone is viewed among his peers in the conference.

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

The North Carolina Tar Heels made a major coaching change this offseason, moving on from Hubert Davis after a second consecutive first-round exit in the NCAA tournament. It was an elongated process to identify a replacement for Davis, as the Tar Heels' brass zeroed in on Arizona's Tommy Lloyd as the top option.

However, Lloyd signed a five-year extension, putting an end to the speculative rumors that he could depart for Chapel Hill. With the other two candidates - Dusty May and Billy Donovan - shutting the door on North Carolina, the program shifted its focus to a former longtime NBA head coach.

While there have been plenty of discussions about North Carolina's coaching changes and what's next for the program, Malone's stature in the ACC was revealed earlier this weekend.

While there have been plenty of discussions surrounding North Carolina's coaching changes and what it means for the program moving forward, Malone's stature among coaches in the ACC was revealed earlier this weekend.

Where Malone Ranks

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

Over the weekend, College Basketball Report evaluated each conference in the sport and ranked every coach from best to worst. One of the conferences covered was the ACC, which features a slew of under-the-radar head coaches, including Malone, who was ranked No. 6 on this specific list.

The top five coaches, ranked in order, were Duke's Jon Scheyer, Virginia's Ryan Odom, Clemson's Brad Bronwell, Miami's Jai Lucas, and Louisville's Pat Kelsey.

Is Malone Ranked Too Low?

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

For the time being, this is an appropriate spot for the former Denver Nuggets head coach. Although he had success in the NBA, we have yet to see him operate at the collegiate level. These rankings indicate that experts and analysts want to see Malone prove himself first before heralding him as one of the top coaches in college basketball, which is completely fair.

That being said, Malone has an opportunity to elevate himself as one of the best coaches in the ACC with a strong outing in 2026. In fact, he could surpass a couple of names listed higher than him, as soon as conference play.

Mar 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone following a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

This offseason, Malone has shown the ability to recruit players, and if he can justify the multitude of acquisitions by maximizing their talents and skill sets on the court, he can get North Carolina back to the level they should be.

We will learn a lot about Malone and this staff early in the season, against formidable non-conference competition.