This Aspect of Malone's NBA Experience Will Aid North Carolina

Malone's NBA experience may give UNC an advantage in his first season as head coach.

Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michael Malone is entering unfamiliar territory at North Carolina, but one part of his job with the Heels could feel surprisingly familiar. 

College basketball coaches typically rely on much tighter rotations than in the NBA. Usually, a seven- or eight-man rotation is common in college basketball, whereas the NBA routinely uses up to 10 in a single regular-season game. 

Malone’s Vision for This Tar Heels Team

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, this season, I believe Michael Malone put together North Carolina’s roster with the intention of playing a deep rotation, as there are eleven players I could see having a large role in Malone’s first season.

The starters are believed to be Terrence Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, Matt Able, Jarin Stevenson, and Cameron Fens. Looking at depth pieces, I believe Sayon Keita, Alexandros Samodurov, Isaiah Denis, Maximo Adams, Kevin Thomas, and Angelo Brizzi could have a role off the bench. 

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts towards referee Danielle Scott (87) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That's 11 guys on the roster who have a shot at potentially playing significant minutes. As we get closer to the regular season, I would expect Malone to run a rotation of about nine or 10 players, but in college basketball that’s still higher than the average, and that may be intentional.

Malone has made it clear that he wants North Carolina to operate like an NBA team, and he has experience managing a deeper rotation.

Feb 10, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

During his time with the Denver Nuggets, Malone regularly had to balance a deep rotation between stars, role players, veterans, and young talent. Managing a deep roster doesn't mean giving everyone minutes; it's about determining exactly who should get the right number of minutes for their role. 

Deep Roster for Carolina Could Be Difficult 

The starting five all have legitimate cases for significant playing time, while young players like Maximo Adams and Kevin Thomas will have to first carve out roles that warrant minutes on the court.

Feb 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michael Malone could be aiming to rotate double-digit players to build familiarity with the roster and different rotations. Having that experience will work in the Tar Heels' favor and allow the team's young talent to share time with experienced stars like Terrence Brown. 

Experience with a deep rotation is just one of the many things Malone brings to this North Carolina team. Malone hasn’t even coached a single game for the Tar Heels, and Carolina fans already feel like they have a coach they’re ready to rally around. Success could be brewing in Chapel Hill.