‘Huge turn’ in UNC coaching search surfaces top 2 targets: report

Arizona head men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd announced that he has agreed to an extension to stay with the Wildcats.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello reported Lloyd will become one of the five highest-paid coaches in college basketball. His new contract will start at $7.2 million next season. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, Lloyd turned down “a top-two contract” offer from the University of North Carolina.

UNC’s quest continues.

UNC fired head coach Hubert Davis days after the sixth-seeded Tar Heels squandered a 19-point lead and lost in overtime to No. 11 VCU in the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament on March 19.

With Lloyd declining to be Davis’ replacement, UNC is reportedly pivoting quickly.

“Obviously, Tommy Lloyd agreeing to stay at Arizona is a huge turn in the UNC coaching search,” The Athletic‘s Brendan Marks posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Billy Donovan remains heavily in the mix… and don’t be surprised if the Tar Heels pivot harder to Michigan‘s Dusty May in the coming days, too, especially if Michigan loses tomorrow.”

May’s No. 1 Michigan Wolverines face Lloyd’s No. 1 Arizona in the Final Four on Saturday night.

Donovan left the Florida Gators to make the leap to the NBA as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder in April 2015. He’s been the head coach of the Chicago Bulls since 2020.

Much can change in a week, but The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman reported on where Donovan and May stood on the UNC opening on March 28.

“My sources have told me it’s unlikely Dusty May takes Carolina,” Goodman said. “It’s unlikely. Not gonna say there’s no chance, but Dusty May — as I’ve said before — very happy, family [is] very happy, at Michigan.”

Goodman continued, “Obviously, at a point here, where the brand at Michigan is huge. They just need a little bit more of an investment to him. Not even his salary or anything like that. More of like, hey, they’re taking regular commercial flights — two commercial flights back to Ann Arbor. That can’t happen.”

Goodman also said that Donovan isn’t likely to even entertain the possibility of coaching at UNC unless he’s told explicitly that he’s the top candidate.

“Unless you tell Billy, ‘Hey, Billy, here’s the deal: You’re the guy,’ Billy is just gonna be like, ‘You know what? Come to me if I’m the guy, and then I’ll think about it. But there’s no sense in me going through this process if I’m not the guy.'” Goodman said. “I’m telling you: I’ve never seen anybody — ever — talk to more people, think about things, process things, more than Billy Donovan [in] a decision.”

Davis departed UNC after five seasons. He posted a 125-54 overall record.

After making it to the national championship game — and losing to Kansas after leading by 15 at half — Davis’ Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament in 2023, lost in the 2024 Sweet 16, and suffered back-to-back first-round exits the last two seasons.

On Thursday, UNC legend and Inside the NBA analyst Kenny Smith told Newsweek that he isn’t concerned about UNC conducting a nationwide coaching search for the first time in generations.

“The news misconception is that if you go outside of the family, this person would not understand [UNC],” Smith said. “When you come to North Carolina, you understand that you’re taking a blood oath. You understand that you’re becoming part of that family; we’re not becoming part of your family. Anyone who takes the job understands that.”