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Heel Tough Blog: UNC Hires Former NBA Champion as Next Head Coach
Field of 68 In a move that not only shocked the UNC fan base, the college basketball world, and even the NBA world, the University of North Carolina has hired former NBA head coach Mike Malone as the next head coach of the program. Over the weekend, Carolina learned that neither Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd or Michigan’s Dusty May were leaving their respective spots to take the vacant job in Chapel Hill. The belief was that Carolina had turned their attention to Billy Donovan of the

Joshua Marlow
Apr 62 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Second UNC Guard Set to Enter Transfer Portal
GoHeels.com After losing Isaiah Denis to the transfer portal yesterday, the Tar Heels lost reserve guard Jaydon Young to the transfer portal today, ahead of the portal's official opening at midnight tonight. Young arrived in Chapel Hill after starting his career with the Virginia Tech Hokies, and in the 31 games played this season, Young averaged 1.8 points per game, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists, while shooting 30% from the field and 28% from behind the arc. Young was brough

Joshua Marlow
Apr 61 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Isaiah Denis to Enter Portal
Grant Halverson- Getty Images The transfer portal for college basketball is set to open on Tuesday and the first name that will be entering from a Tar Heel perspective has been revealed. As he announced via his social media on Sunday night, true freshman guard Isaiah Denis will be entering his name into the transfer portal. Denis did say that he is leaving the door open to a return to Chapel Hill, though, meaning if the new coach wants him back, he will at least consider it.

Anthony Pagnotta
Apr 51 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Dusty May Announces He is Staying At Michigan
Michael Reaves- Getty Images When Tommy Lloyd announced on Friday that he would be staying at Arizona and signing a long term extension, the focus of the Tar Heels search turned to Michigan head coach Dusty May. While he may have been another longshot, especially after his victory last night over Arizona in the Final Four, he was someone that you had to have tell you no before you moved to the next tier of the search. That day came on Sunday prior to tomorrow’s national champ

Anthony Pagnotta
Apr 52 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Is It Billy Donovan or Bust for UNC?
Sports Illustrated After missing out on Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd as the replacement for Hubert Davis, Bubba Cunningham, Steve Newmark, and the UNC search firm are now forced to turn their attention elsewhere to find the right man to lead Carolina Basketball back to national prominence. Lloyd was the top target for Carolina and is coming off his first appearance in the Final Four, a blowout loss to a Michigan team that is poised to win their first national championship since 1989

Joshua Marlow
Apr 55 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Who Should UNC Be Focused on Now?
With the announcement from Tommy Lloyd on Friday afternoon that he was going to be staying at Arizona, the Tar Heels have been forced to shift their focus in the search for their next head coach. As the Tar Heels reset their board, I have done the same with my wishlist today. Here is a look at the five coaches that I believe the search committee should be turning their attention to as soon as possible. Dusty May (Current Michigan Head Coach) Michael Reaves- Getty Images Caree

Anthony Pagnotta
Apr 44 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tommy Lloyd to Stay At Arizona
Arizona Sports Before his team competes in tomorrow night’s Final Four, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd agreed to a five-year contract extension that’ll keep Lloyd in Tucson, after a week’s worth of speculation that he might leave for the vacant UNC job. After UNC fired Hubert Davis after losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and hired a search firm to help conduct the search, they identified Lloyd, as their top candidate, after setting a record for most wins by a

Joshua Marlow
Apr 32 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Make Another Late Addition to OL
@ c.al varez__- Instagram The Tar Heels may be in the middle of spring practice, but the team has just added another offensive lineman who will be a part of the roster in 2026. As he announced via social media earlier this afternoon, 2026 3✮ IOL Cristian Alvarez has committed to UNC to participate in both football and wrestling. Alvarez had previously been committed to UMass, but flipped and signed with Delaware during the early signing window back in December. Back in late F

Anthony Pagnotta
Apr 22 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Lose Commitment From Top Prospect in 2027 Class
@quisbryant- Instagram For the second time in the 2027 recruiting class, the Tar Heels have lost their top commitment in the class to decommitment. As first reported by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals, 2027 4✮ safety Marquis Bryant has decommitted from the Tar Heels following a visit earlier in the week to Tennessee as part of his spring visit schedule. He had been committed to UNC since December 16th. Bryant's decommitment is a significant one, considering he is one of the top-rated

Anthony Pagnotta
Apr 11 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Underclassmen Who Could Shine in Spring Practice
@itztreyblue- Instagram The Tar Heels opened spring practice last week as they look to put together a better second season under the direction of head coach Bill Belichick. In order to do that, the team will need some young guys to step up and shine starting here in spring practice. Let’s take a look at some underclassmen that could shine over the next few weeks. Jaylen Harvey Harvey is one of the transfers that Tar Heel fans were most excited about this offseason and for goo

Anthony Pagnotta
Mar 313 min read


Heel Tough Blog: 2027 RB Commits to UNC During Visit
@shotzbyab- Instagram The Tar Heels picked up two commitments on Saturday within minutes of each other. The second of the two came in the form of one of the team’s top running back targets in the middle of his visit to Chapel Hill on Saturday. As first reported by Inside Carolina, the Tar Heels landed a commitment from 2027 unranked running back Isaiah Stephens during his unofficial visit to campus to watch a Tar Heel spring practice session. He chooses the Tar Heels over Ole

Anthony Pagnotta
Mar 282 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Land 2027 3✮ LB
@tasheem.butler- Instagram The Tar Heels picked up two commitments on Saturday within minutes of each other. The first of the two came in the form of a recent offer at the linebacker position following his visit to Chapel Hill yesterday. As first reported by Inside Carolina, the Tar Heels have picked up a commitment from 2027 3✮ LB Tasheem Butler after he was on campus yesterday afternoon. He commits to the Tar Heels over Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Appalachian State amongst oth

Anthony Pagnotta
Mar 282 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Caleb Wilson Hints at NBA Decision
Bob Donnan- Imagn Images While the search for a new head coach is the top priority for the UNC athletic department, roster decisions are being made in the meantime, as players are determining whether or not to stay committed during the search, or to enter the draft or the transfer portal. The player with the biggest decision to make is Caleb Wilson, who had his historic freshman season cut short due to multiple injuries, and there was a sliver of hope that he’d return for his

Joshua Marlow
Mar 271 min read


Heel Tough Blog: UNC Assistant to Join Wes Miller's Staff at Charlotte
247Sports After Hubert Davis was fired on Tuesday night, staff changes are expected, as Carolina’s head coaching search is on the way. But before Carolina could make their hire, they had already lost a valuable assistant, as Marcus Paise is leaving UNC to join Wes Miller’s new staff at Charlotte, according to Inside Carolina. Paige is a former standout UNC player, playing at Carolina from 2013-16, guiding the Tar Heels to the 2016 Final Four, before losing the national champi

Joshua Marlow
Mar 271 min read


Heel Tough Blog: UNC Basketball Coaching Wishlist
Arizona Desert Storm Hubert Davis was fired on Tuesday night, after 5 seasons on the UNC bench, where he compiled a 125-54 record, with an appearance in the 2022 Final Four, along with winning the 2024 ACC regular season title, and earning a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But after a historic collapse in the NCAA Tournament against Duke, there was nothing the former standout player under Dean Smith, and longtime assistant under Roy Williams before becoming head coach, could

Joshua Marlow
Mar 278 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Top Candidate Removes Himself From UNC Opening
Iowa State Athletics The Carolina Basketball job hasn’t been open 48 hours yet, and there’s already been two big names to remove themself from consideration from arguably the best job in college basketball. Yesterday, Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics made it known he wasn’t leaving the front office of the most storied franchise in the NBA for the sidelines in Chapel Hill, and just earlier today, Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger made it known he wasn’t leaving Ames for UNC either

Joshua Marlow
Mar 261 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Three Players to Miss Spring Practice
@reg_love07- Instagram On Tuesday morning, prior to the team taking the field for their first practice of the season, head coach Bill Belichick spoke with the media for the first time this year as he provided updates on where everything is with the Tar Heel football program. Among the things addressed in this presser was the fact that three Tar Heels who are officially enrolled and a part of the team will not be participating in spring practice. Belichick revealed in his open

Anthony Pagnotta
Mar 252 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Brad Stevens Removes Name From UNC Coaching Search
Sky Sports The Carolina Basketball job hasn’t been open for 12 hours, and arguably the biggest name on the wishlist has already removed his name from consideration. Every time a major college basketball job comes available, Brad Stevens, the former Butler coach who led the Bulldogs to title game appearances in 2010 and 2011, always comes up in conversation. Stevens, who left Butler for the Boston Celtics in the mid 2010s, has been away from the NBA sidelines since 2021, when

Joshua Marlow
Mar 251 min read


Heel Tough Blog: UNC Fires Hubert Davis After 5 Seasons
CBS Sports Earlier tonight, the Carolina Athletic department announced that Hubert Davis would not return as the head coach of Carolina Basketball, after five seasons, firing the hand-picked successor to Roy Williams, after serving on his staff for nearly a decade, following a standout career at both UNC and in the NBA. In his five seasons, Davis compiled a 125-54 record, with an appearance in the 2022 Final Four, along with guiding Carolina to the 2024 regular season ACC tit

Joshua Marlow
Mar 242 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Battles to Monitor in 2026 Spring Practice
Lance King- Getty Images Spring practice in Chapel Hill kicks off on Tuesday afternoon as the Tar Heels look to take a major step forward under Bill Belichick and prove that this experiment is still worth seeing through. The beginning of spring ball also means the beginning of some important position battles that we will be monitoring throughout the offseason. Here is a look at the five battles that we will be monitoring over the next month of spring practice. Starting QB For

Anthony Pagnotta
Mar 243 min read
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