Hiring Michael Malone as the head coach was - while nothing has been proven - an excellent move by the North Carolina Tar Heels, who can now say they have a legitimate leader on the sidelines. However, the timing of the hire put the program behind the eight-ball in terms of recruitment.

With a plethora of outgoing players, who all seemed to leave simultaneously, the Tar Heels were still navigating the hiring process. Malone was formally introduced as the head coach on April 7, the same day that the transfer portal window officially opened.

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) drives around Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) during the second half at T-Mobile Center.…