Coaching Updates
There has been a lot of chatter about UNC’s head coaching job lately. Assistant coach Marcus Paige accepted an assistant coach job on newly hired Wes Miller’s staff at Charlotte this weekend.
Former NBA player and UNC alum Kenny Smith‘s name has been bantered about but he didn’t sound interested in the job. And former Auburn and Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl shot down TNT’s Charles Barkley’s endorsement for the job last night.
Speaking of Pearl, he believes Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is the perfect candidate. Donovan, who led Florida to two national championships and four Final Fours, has spent the past 11 years with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls. He owns a 467-407 record, though he hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2022.
“Can we get Billy Donovan to come back to college?” Pearl asked. “That would be spectacular.”
With North Carolina in a holding pattern, according to The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, Donovan could be a legitimate candidate. Goodman said that the Tar Heels are waiting to talk to Arizona’s coach Tommy Lloyd, who led the Wildcats to the 2026 Final Four last night, and Michigan head coach Dusty May. May and his Wolverines will join Lloyd at the Final Four if Michigan defeats Tennessee this afternoon.
“What I can tell you about North Carolina right now is they’re in a bit of a holding pattern,” Goodman said via The Field of 68. “Because the guys they want are still playing and might be playing through next week — Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May. So, if those guys end up winning in their Elite Eight matchups and go to the Final Four, both of them are probably going to say, ‘You know what? There’s no way I’m talking to them. You can talk to my agent all you want. But I’m not thinking about this right now.’”
“My sources have told me it’s unlikely Dusty May takes Carolina,” Goodman added. “It’s unlikely. Not going to say it’s no chance, but Dusty May, as I’ve said before, is very happy. Family is very happy at Michigan.”
