By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Coach Michael Malone was known during his NBA coaching career for being direct with his players and applying tough love to make them better.
Malone, about to start his first season as Carolina’s coach, said that will not change at the college level, but emphasized that it’s important to first let the players know that he loves them so that they know that any criticism is coming from a good place.
Asked about an interview in which former Denver player Peyton Watson recalled being called out in front of the team during a practice when he forgot the name of a play, Malone said he did remember that day and explained the reasoning behind his approach.
“I think it’s important because I think a lot of people are afraid to hold people accountable, Malone said Thursday morning at a Smith Center press conference. “And if you don’t hold people accountable, you don’t have discipline. If you don’t have discipline, then what are your standards? What do you have?”
Malone said the intent behind moments like that was never to embarrass a player, but to send a clear message about professionalism.
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“The intent was not to humiliate. The intent was not to embarrass,” Malone said. “The intent was to send a message that you’re a professional player. You have a job to do, and if I ask you a question and you can’t answer that, that means that you are not prepared, and if you’re not prepared, that means you’re not getting better. And when you don’t get better, unfortunately, the opposite happens. You get worse.”
He pointed to Watson’s recent success as proof there were no hard feelings. Malone said he sent Watson a message after the guard signed his new deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers last month, adding that he was thrilled about the season Watson put together before an injury and the contract that followed.
Malone pushed back on the idea that his directness during games amounted to public criticism of his team.
“There were times when I would do a press conference and people would say, ‘Oh, coach, you really called your team out.’ I don’t think I called my team out,” he said. “I think I gave you an honest answer. If we’re not doing what we need to do. That’s coaching. I am not afraid to coach my team. I am not afraid to coach my players.”
Malone credited Vince Lombardi with articulating the philosophy better than he could, and said the same approach carried him to success in Denver.
“Deep down inside, the great players want to be coached,” he said. “Deep down inside, the great players want to be disciplined and held accountable, and that is just how I think you build a culture that has a chance to win and win at the highest level, and that’s what we did in Denver, and that’s one of the reasons I came to Carolina because I think we have the same opportunity to do something special here in Chapel Hill.”
The shift from professional to college athletes has required some adjustment, Malone said, since he now finds himself coaching players who are still teenagers rather than seasoned NBA veterans.
He acknowledged that difference directly when asked whether he’s noticed a change in how student-athletes respond to his coaching compared to the pros he spent 25 years working with.
“It’s not lost on me that I’m dealing with much younger kids, young adults, and with that, it’s also not lost to me that these are student-athletes,” he said. “For 25 years, I was not checking class. Now you’re back on a college campus, and we need our kids to understand the importance of being a student-athlete. It’s something that we take seriously, and our players know that as well.”
Still, Malone said the foundation of his approach hasn’t changed, even if his players’ ages have. He explained that being demanding and holding players accountable only works if it’s paired with making sure they know they’re cared for.
“I have challenged myself to make sure that I am being demanding, holding you accountable, but also making sure, most importantly, that our players know that I love them and I care about them,” he said. “Because if they don’t know that, and you’re being hard on them, that’s only going to go so far. So, for me, being positive, pouring into them, uplifting him.
He traced his approach to his late father, longtime NBA assistant coach Brendon Malone.
“[He] had a huge impact on my life, and he taught me so many different things,” he said. “But one of the greatest things he told me was the greatest gift I can give any player is confidence, so I try to pour love and confidence into our players every day.”
That balance, Malone said, is what allows him to push players hard without losing their trust.
“You can do both. I can get on you. I can demand more from you, but I can also wrap my arm around you, so you know that I care about you and I have your back,” Malone said. “And when you do that, you have a chance to really build a deeper and more meaningful relationship, one that’s going to last for a very, very long time.”
It all starts in full force when practice begins on Sept. 21.
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Freshman | Maximo Adams (MAX-ih-mo) | F | 6–7 | 220 |
| 30 | Freshman | Malloy Smith | G | 6–5 | 180 |
| 21 | Freshman | Sayon Keita (SIGH-on KAY-tuh) | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 5 | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–6 | 205 |
| 35 | Sophomore | Cade Bennerman — U | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 17 | Sophomore | Neo Avdalas — W (NEE-oh ahv-DOLL-lus) | G | 6–9 | 220 |
| 2 | Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 185 |
| 3 | Sophomore | Matt Able — X | G | 6–5 | 200 |
| 22 | Junior | Alexandros Samodurov (Alex-ANN-drose SAH-muh-DUHR-off) | C | 6–11 | 225 |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Y | G | 6–3 | 180 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young (JAY-din) | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson (JARE-in) | F | 6–10 | 220 |
| 14 | Graduate | Angelo Brizzi — Z (BRIZZ-ee) | G | 6–3 | 200 |
| 54 | Graduate | Cameron Fens — V (Fenz) | C | 7–0 | 255 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 99 | Junior | John Holbrook — SA | F | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | G | 6–1 | 200 |
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 (tih-BALL-dee), Sean May, Jorge Sanz (HOR-hey sahnth), 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 @UNC_Basketball
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