Ever since the offseason began for Florida two weeks ago, rumors flew of UNC making a hard push towards Todd Golden. Even though betting markets tabbed Golden as an early favorite, no real talk emerged past that as UNC turned its attention elsewhere.
For the past week, that attention seemed honed in on former Florida coach Billy Donovan, who is still the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
But from out of left field, UNC is not hiring Donovan either, as they've settled on a coach no one had on their radar.
Billy Donovan won’t be the coach at UNC
UNC is set to hire Michael Malone as its next head coach. Malone spent ten seasons with the Denver Nuggets and won the NBA title in 2023 before he was shockingly fired just before the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and he sat out this past season to do TV work.
Presumably, the sudden and dramatic pivot away from Donovan had to be in part due to Donovan dragging his feet, along with the transfer portal set to open on Tuesday. UNC couldn’t afford to wait, and Malone was available for the job.
It also officially closes the door on Golden going anywhere this offseason, despite all the speculation that multiple high-end programs were going to potentially need coaches, only for UNC to wind up being the only major blue blood in need of a new coach.
It also means Florida fans don’t have to have an awkward reunion with Donovan just yet. There wouldn’t have been any anomisity with going to UNC compared to, let’s say Georgia, but it still would have had the weird vibes like when Steve Spurrier wound up at South Carolina.
Donovan spent 19 years as Florida’s head coach, winning two national titles and making the Final Four on four occasions. He left for the NBA in 2015 for the Oklahoma City Thunder and was with them through 2020. He was not extended and joined the Bulls that same season.
In his 11 years in the NBA, Donovan has only advanced past the first round of the playoffs once.