2026 Coaching Carousel

[79Warrior]

Stunning campus, but also weird AF vibe

Dry campus.

[The Sultan]

Dry campus.

I have a friend whose daughter went there. She isn't very religious but actually enjoyed the dry aspect. Not much of a partier obviously, but she loved the beach.

[Uncle Rico]

Chris Mack takes the South Florida gig.  Hard to believe his commitment he made a year ago to Charleston after being passed over for the Xavier job has passed us by.

[Uncle Rico]

Sounds like Luke Murray is likely to get the BC job. Not sure why he'd want it.

At some point, he probably had no choice but to take a job like this.

[Viper]

The new incoming AD at UNC pretty much spelled the end of Hubert Davis. If Bubba Cunningham was still the AD for the long term, I don't think Hubert would have been canned. In the modern NIL era, Blue Blood status still matters, however $$$,$$$ to $,$$$,$$$  matter a lot more and lets face it Hubert not a guy who can really attract Big Money donors even though he is a great guy.  My guess is that UNC will go outside their Chapel Hill family and hire someone who has had proven win loss success at High Major conference.

Programs like MU that have some ability to focus their NIL resources, and more importantly immediate playing time, can still be successful recruiting high school players. Shaka is the exact right coach for MU in this environment and I expect the team to be back in the National Conversation again soon. If there are any decent players who end up getting dislocated in the UNC coaching change, it would be great if MU took a run at them if they are not too expensive.

I've always been a fan of tobacco road hoops. My Dad was stationed at Bragg in the 70's. Everyone had a fav...UNC, State, Wake or Duke. The ACC was sooo good then 👍

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Michael Jordan would like a word. Phil Ford will escort you to Walter Davis' office. Walter will take you over to Mitch Kupchak. Mitch and Bob McAdoo will escort you to MJ. Try not to cry, ok?

[The Sultan]

The funny thing is that four of the five guys Viper mentioned never won a championship at UNC.

[Shaka Shart]

Sounds like Luke Murray is likely to get the BC job. Not sure why he'd want it.

the only BC Job anyone should care about is in the Old Testament - Scott Drew

[MU82]

I just spelled it out. Blueblood!!! UNC is the def of, 82. AZ...good since Lute. Michigan? Love em...Johnny Orr on up, solid. Ain't UNC.

Ah, so this is a bit. Not very funny, but thanks.

[Hards Alumni]

Michael Jordan would like a word. Phil Ford will escort you to Walter Davis' office. Walter will take you over to Mitch Kupchak. Mitch and Bob McAdoo will escort you to MJ. Try not to cry, ok?

Jordan is 63, Ford is 70, Davis is 69, Kupchak is 71, McAdoo is 75.

Times change, UNC is just Indiana with a different color scheme these days.  Focused on past success thinking they're entitled to being top dog.  Game has changed in the last 5 years.  There is nothing special about them anymore in a world where money outweighs tradition.

[brewcity77]

Times change, UNC is just Indiana with a different color scheme these days.

I think they could fall to that level but aren't there yet. They have 3 Final Fours and a national title in the past decade. Hubert didn't help, but they could easily turn it around with the right coach next year.

[muwarrior69]

Blue bloods don't mean much any longer. Money does. Michigan's got more of it.

I'd be shocked if any coach leaves a top end Big 10 school in any sport.

Tend to agree with you. Look at UCLA which has won more titles than any school, but not so much over the last 30 years.

[MUDPT]

I, among many others, always thought Stevens back to college was a very slim chance.  That went for slim to "never gonna happen" by his pretty clear lack of interest in taking over IU and bringing them back to blue blood status, which was the only thing I could have ever seen being appealing in some way.

When you really look at it, it's insane that people even still bring it up. 

First off, he never played at or sat on the bench at a major program, much less was the HC at one. He spent his entire college coaching career at a low major, save for his last year when Butler went to the A-10.  That's not to say he couldn't handle a step up like is a worry with some coaches, but rather he'd be leaving for a huge challenge/unfamiliar administrative set up, not one that he'd been away from awhile and may have changed, but one that he'd never dealt with, period.

Second, people seem to overlook/forget that, even forgetting about his front office tenure, he was the coach of the Celtics for 2 years longer than he was a college coach at Butler.  All together he's been in Boston longer than he was at Butler.  Donovan, for example, was a guy who spent 20+ years as a college HC.  Stevens is as much an NBA guy at this point as he ever was a college guy.

Third, and probably most importantly, he's been very successful since leaving Butler.  He never made a finals as a coach but did well and made conference finals 3 of the last 5 seasons before he resigned.  Since moving to the front office, the Celtics have won a title and been a top 2 seed in the East every year. Donovan would make a move cause he had a decent year with Durant that first year in OKC and then hasn't won a playoff series since.  He's missed the playoffs as often as made them.  Calipari came back cause he failed with the Nets.  Hoiberg went back to college cause he failed in Chicago.  Stevens hasn't failed like all of them so why would he need to go back to college for comfort or chasing past success?

But Stevens won't be 50 for another 6 months so we have a solid decade of lazy writers and bloggers bringing up his name whenever a top 10 job opens

Stevens told Nate Oats, he would only ever return to a school where football is first. So maybe back to Indiana?

[Hards Alumni]

I think they could fall to that level but aren't there yet. They have 3 Final Fours and a national title in the past decade. Hubert didn't help, but they could easily turn it around with the right coach next year.

I'm going to disagree.  I think blue blood doesn't mean anything in today's CBB.  Sure, they may be able to lean on a little bit of cache from the brand, but coaches and money trump the storied traditions of these schools.  If Baylor is throwing $4m at a kid, and UNC can do $2m is the kid going to turn down that kind of money to play on Tobacco Road?  Can UNC financially compete with some of the schools with ultrawealthy donors?  That will remain to be seen.

[The Sultan]

Stevens told Nate Oats, he would only ever return to a school where football is first. So maybe back to Indiana?

You mean the job that was open just last year that he showed no interest in?

There is zero chance he goes back to college unless he is fired. But with what he has done with the Celtic, I doubt that happens.

[cheebs09]

You mean the job that was open just last year that he showed no interest in?

There is zero chance he goes back to college unless he is fired. But with what he has done with the Celtic, I doubt that happens.

I'm guessing it's more a joke now that Indiana is a football school.

MU needs to start a football program to lure Brad Stevens

[Hards Alumni]

Not sure it was mentioned here (unless I missed it) but TJO seems to be staying at ISU.

[Pakuni]

You mean the job that was open just last year that he showed no interest in?

There is zero chance he goes back to college unless he is fired. But with what he has done with the Celtic, I doubt that happens.

Even if fired, I imagine another NBA team would snatch him up quickly.

[brewcity77]

I think blue blood doesn't mean anything in today's CBB.

Of course it means something. Is Jon Scheyer doing the same thing somewhere else as opposed to what he's done at Duke? Maybe eventually, but not this fast. Does anyone else have the payroll of Kentucky? Where did Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar go last year? Was it because Hubert is so elite as a coach?

It's not the only thing, but if you can have at elite payroll at UNC or South Carolina, you're taking UNC all day. If you can choose in a vacuum between Iowa State and Kansas, every coach is going to Lawrence.

The real advantage to CBB blue bloods is they know they are basketball programs. It's not just the history, it's that their donors care about that and will send their money specifically for that. UNC had the money last year, they just didn't spend it well. Combine a coach like Oats, Lloyd, or May with that brand and financial backing and they will be top-5 again as soon as November rolls around.

[Pakuni]

I'm going to disagree.  I think blue blood doesn't mean anything in today's CBB.  Sure, they may be able to lean on a little bit of cache from the brand, but coaches and money trump the storied traditions of these schools.  If Baylor is throwing $4m at a kid, and UNC can do $2m is the kid going to turn down that kind of money to play on Tobacco Road?  Can UNC financially compete with some of the schools with ultrawealthy donors?  That will remain to be seen.

They were able give Belichick a $10 million salary and $20 million NIL budget for a football program nobody really cares about. And they're the Jordan Brand flagship program.
I don't think UNC athletics is hurting for money, or needs to be terribly concerned about being outbid by the Baylors of the world.

If success is all going to hinge on ultrawealthy donors, the Ivies and Stanford are going to be killing it.

[Hards Alumni]

Of course it means something. Is Jon Scheyer doing the same thing somewhere else as opposed to what he's done at Duke? Maybe eventually, but not this fast. Does anyone else have the payroll of Kentucky? Where did Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar go last year? Was it because Hubert is so elite as a coach?

It's not the only thing, but if you can have at elite payroll at UNC or South Carolina, you're taking UNC all day. If you can choose in a vacuum between Iowa State and Kansas, every coach is going to Lawrence.

The real advantage to CBB blue bloods is they know they are basketball programs. It's not just the history, it's that their donors care about that and will send their money specifically for that. UNC had the money last year, they just didn't spend it well. Combine a coach like Oats, Lloyd, or May with that brand and financial backing and they will be top-5 again as soon as November rolls around.

So you agree, coaching and finances are very important.  All other things being equal, sure kids are going to choose the blue blood schools, but things are not equal.

And each year that passes this will become more true.

[Billy Hoyle]

Tend to agree with you. Look at UCLA which has won more titles than any school, but not so much over the last 30 years.

UCLA has one title since the 70s and one other title game appearance and Indiana has one title in 50 years and one other title game appearance. Meanwhile, Gonzaga and Butler have two title game appearances in that time frame.

Kentucky has three titles since 1978, and Kansas has three since 1985. The same number as Villanova.

We were the second most successful program of the 70s and we have one Final Four appearance in 49 years. Meanwhile, Bucky, an absolute joke of a program into the 90s, has three.

Meanwhile, UConn has six national titles since 1999.

Times change. That said, if any "blue blood" is going to be able to stay at the top, it's UNC, but not because of players like Jordan.

[Hards Alumni]

They were able give Belichick a $10 million salary and $20 million NIL budget for a football program nobody really cares about. And they're the Jordan Brand flagship program.
I don't think UNC athletics is hurting for money, or needs to be terribly concerned about being outbid by the Baylors of the world.

Baylor was an example, choose any school with super wealthy donors.  Arkansas, TAMU, etc.

I also never said UNC is hurting for money, just that they can be outspent, easily.

[brewcity77]

So you agree, coaching and finances are very important.  All other things being equal, sure kids are going to choose the blue blood schools, but things are not equal.

And each year that passes this will become more true.

Coaching and finances have always been important. UNC has finances that maybe 3-5 schools in the country can match. Hubert had between $14-16M to spend on this roster. It's not like it's been decades since UNC had success. They cut nets in 2017. They went to the Final Four in 2021. They spend at a top-5 level.

You're being wildly premature heaping dirt on their grave. I'd be surprised if they didn't pull a top-level head coach and I'd be surprised if that doesn't result in a top-level roster & protected seed next year.

[Pakuni]

Baylor was an example, choose any school with super wealthy donors.  Arkansas, TAMU, etc.

I also never said UNC is hurting for money, just that they can be outspent, easily.

I understand what you're saying. I'm just not sure it's true. I don't see any indication that TAMU or Arkansas is out there spending more, or has any desire to spend more, on basketball than UNC. Or that UNC is incapable of spending like those programs. Again, UNC just made Bill Belichick one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in college football, and UNC doesn't really care about college football. The idea that they're going to let hoops wither on the vine - or that Jordan Brand would allow that - for lack of resources just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.