By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Michael Malone likes to call himself a “volleyball dad,” but the dynamics of that have changed dramatically from when he followed Bridget Malone’s freshman season with the Tar Heels.
He might get recognized in the crowd because of his profile as an NBA coach who won a league title, but he could keep a low profile while watching his daughter’s matches.
Malone, at a Smith Center press conference on Thursday morning, said that when he arrives at a match, it’s no longer just about representing himself.
“I have gone from being the head coach of an NBA team where it’s just you to now I’m a head coach with 27 other head coaches,” Malone said. “I am a part of something much bigger than myself, and I love that about college athletics.”
That has given Malone a different perspective since returning to college basketball after 25 years in the NBA. He is now one of 28 head coaches at North Carolina, alongside coaches who have built championship programs in sports ranging from baseball to lacrosse.
Malone said that is one of the aspects of college athletics he has enjoyed most during his first five months back in Chapel Hill.
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“That’s probably one of the best things about college athletics is that I can hang out with Scott Forbes in Omaha, I can go watch Jenny Levy’s team have a home game before going to the Final Four out at Northwestern,” Malone said. “The more coaches I get to know and interact with, because there are some really talented and successful coaches within this department, coaches that have won a lot of championships, I look forward to spending time with them, getting to know them.”
That expanded role has followed Malone into the volleyball gym.
Last season, he could attend Bridget Malone’s matches primarily as a father supporting his daughter. Now, after UNC hired him to replace Hubert Davis as UNC’s men’s basketball coach, his presence carries a different level of attention.
Malone said he and his wife, Jocelyn, drove to Davidson for North Carolina volleyball’s first match of the season last weekend and encountered plenty of Tar Heels along the way.
“The neat thing about that was, personally, like I’ve known Bob McKillop since I was a little kid, and Coach McKillop was there and had a chance to see him and speak to some other people involved with their program,” Malone said of the former longtime Davidson coach.
At the same time, Malone knows that being a high-profile coach at Carolina means he is unlikely to disappear into the crowd.
“When I’m at a volleyball game, yes, I am there primarily to be a supporter for my daughter and her teammates and the squad,” Malone said. “But, unless I plan on putting on a disguise, [there are] also going to be people that want to be able to come up and talk and take a picture, and that’s something that I welcome as well.”
For Malone, the adjustment to college athletics has extended well beyond being a recognizable face at his daughter’s volleyball matches. He has spent the past five months learning the transfer portal, recruiting, NIL and the constantly changing rules of the college game after spending 25 years away from it.
He acknowledged that the transition has been difficult at times, particularly because the landscape continues to change.
“What is strange about college athletics is that it seems like the rules change every day, like literally every day,” Malone said. “The fact that there are rules that change every single day, that I think I’m speaking just for myself, for all coaches, makes it kind of hard because as you’re trying to establish something and the rules change, it makes it just a little more difficult.”
Still, Malone said his priorities remain centered on his basketball team, recruiting and preparing for the season. Being a volleyball dad is part of that new life at Carolina, but so is becoming part of a larger athletic department.
“My priority is: how can I help our team get better today on the court?” Malone said. “How can I position ourselves to attack the class of 2027 with the best players in the country? How can I get our team ready for practice on September 21st, and more importantly for a home opener on November 2nd against Western Carolina?”
Then he added that there is another responsibility.
“That’s my number one priority, as well as being a volleyball dad for North Carolina volleyball,” Malone said.
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 30 | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 21 | Freshman | Sayon Keita | C | 7–0 | 215 |
| 5 | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–7 | 190 |
| 35 | Sophomore | Cade Bennerman — U | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 17 | Sophomore | Neoklis Avdalas — W | G | 6–9 | 215 |
| 2 | Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 180 |
| 3 | Sophomore | Matt Able — X | G | 6–5 | 196 |
| 22 | Junior | Alexandros Samodurov | C | 6–11 | 212 |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Y | G | 6–3 | 174 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | F | 6–10 | 215 |
| 14 | Graduate | Angelo Brizzi — Z | G | 6–3 | 193 |
| 54 | Graduate | Cameron Fens — V | C | 7–0 | 255 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 99 | Junior | John Holbrook — SA | F | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | G | 6–1 | 195 |
V — South Dakota transfer; U — Northwestern transfer; W — Virginia Tech transfer; X — N.C. State transfer; Y — Utah transfer; Z — Buffalo transfer; SA — Holbrook is a designated student-athlete, so he doesn’t count against UNC’s 15-player limit.
Coach Michael Malone’s coaching staff — Associate head coach Chuck Martin; assistant coaches, Bryan Tibaldi, Sean May, Jorge Sanz, Pat Sullivan and Brandon Robinson; Director of player development Deon Thompson.
Players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 | Pacific |
Non-conference schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte |
| November | Regular season | |
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 23 | Monday | vs. Monmouth |
| 27 | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday | at Georgetown |
| 15 | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday, CBS | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| January | ||
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
ACC opponents
Home and away: Duke and Louisville
Home only: California, Georgia Tech, Miami, N.C. State, SMU, Stanford and Virginia
Away only: Boston College, Florida State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest
Don’t play: Clemson
Photo via YouTube screenshot
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