By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina men’s basketball coach Michael Malone spent a day far from the Smith Center, trading a whistle and practice plan for a parachute and a leap from thousands of feet above the ground.
Malone went skydiving Saturday with the U.S. Army Golden Knights and documented his first jump in a video. The setting was a departure from his usual environment, but the approach carried a familiar tone, confidence, curiosity and a willingness to embrace something new.
Before boarding the plane, Malone made it clear he understood both the novelty and the stakes of the moment when he was asked by somebody in the background what he was getting himself into.
“I’m getting myself into some skydiving,” Malone said. “First time jumping out [with] the Golden Knights, man. So, who better to be with than the best?”
The Golden Knights, the Army’s elite parachute demonstration team, guided Malone through the experience. As the plane prepared for takeoff, Malone leaned into the adrenaline of the moment.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” he said. “It’s a great day to be a Tar Heel. Mama, I love you.”
With his tongue out, he looked ready for the moment as he jumped out of the plane with an experienced instructor, a standard tandem setup for first-time skydivers. Once in the air, the anticipation that comes with the unfamiliar gave way to the reality of the experience. With his mouth open, he gave hand gestures similar to a Texas hook ’em horns sign.
After landing safely, Malone’s reaction reflected both relief and exhilaration.
“Oh my goodness,” Malone said as he gathered himself on the ground. “Well, first got the best guy right here. Let me help you up. Come on, brother. This guy took great care of me.”
The coach described the sensation in simple terms, emphasizing the thrill that followed the initial leap.
“Best feeling in the world, jumping out,” he said.
Malone acknowledged that even he had not been certain he would ultimately go through with it, but the outcome validated the decision.
“I didn’t know I was gonna do it, but safe landing,” he said after landing in a sitting position. “We did some tricks.”
He credited the Golden Knights for making the experience both memorable and secure, praising the group that facilitated the jump.
“Golden Knights, you guys are the best,” Malone said. “I appreciate you guys taking care of me.”
By the time the moment ended, what began as a one-time adventure had already shifted into something he wanted to revisit. Malone said the climb to altitude came with a warning that proved accurate.
“Oh, hell yeah, yeah,” Malone said when asked if he’d do it again. “He told me on the plane going up there, this is very addictive. So, I got that adrenaline, and I’m ready to do it again, no doubt.”
For a coach accustomed to managing pressure in high-stakes basketball environments, the jump offered a different kind of test. It required trust in others, a willingness to confront hesitation and the ability to commit fully once the moment arrived.
The result was a successful first jump, a safe landing and a story that will likely follow Malone into the season, one that blends his competitive mindset with a reminder that stepping outside the usual routine can deliver its own rewards.
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Photo via @UNC_Basketball
