Michael Malone is headed to Chapel Hill to take on the role of head men’s basketball coach at the University of North Carolina. Although he started his coaching journey with experience as an assistant at Oakland, Providence, and Manhattan, Malone has primarily built his career in the NBA.
From 2001 to 2025, Malone served as either an assistant or head coach in the NBA, culminating in a championship win with the Denver Nuggets during the 2022-23 season. Now, he is returning to the collegiate level.
While several coaches, such as Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls, have made the transition from college to the NBA, there are also notable instances of coaches moving in the opposite direction. The outcomes of these moves have varied. Below is an overview of a few prominent examples.
Kevin Young (BYU, 2024-present)
Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) 2016-2020, Phoenix Suns (assistant) 2020-2021, Phoenix Suns (associate head coach) 2021-2024
Young gained experience over several years as an assistant and head coach in the D-League (now the G-League), working with teams like the Utah Flash and Iowa Energy from 2007 to 2016. He began as an assistant for the Philadelphia 87ers in 2013, moving up to head coach a year later. He became an assistant coach for the 76ers in 2016 but later joined the Suns as an assistant and then associate head coach from 2020 to 2024, helping the team reach the NBA Finals during his first year. In 2024, Young became the head coach at BYU, leading the Cougars to a 49-22 record in two seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2025.
Luke Loucks (Florida State, 2025-present)
Golden State Warriors (assistant) 2016-2021, Sacramento Kings (assistant) 2022-2025
Under the guidance of Steve Kerr, Loucks honed his coaching skills during the Golden State Warriors’ successful run. After a playing career in the D-League and overseas, he started as a paid intern with the Warriors, contributing to their championship efforts. Loucks then occupied various roles including player development coach for the Nigerian National Team and a strategic role with the Suns before becoming an assistant with the Kings in August 2022. In 2025, he took over as head coach at Florida State, following Leonard Hamilton. His inaugural season saw the Seminoles finishing with an 18-15 record.
Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska, 2019-present)
Iowa State 2010-2015, Chicago Bulls 2015-2018
Hoiberg, who played for various NBA teams and later took a front office role, returned to coaching at Iowa State in 2010. Under his leadership, the Cyclones enjoyed notable success, including multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and a Big 12 title. After a less fruitful stint with the Chicago Bulls, he resumed coaching at Nebraska in 2019, where he experienced early struggles but showed improvement by the 2025-26 season with a 28-7 record and a Sweet 16 appearance.
Larry Brown (retired)
North Carolina (assistant) 1965-1967; various teams in NBA and college
A Hall of Fame coach, Brown achieved success at the college level, notably at UCLA and Kansas, where he led teams to championships and Final Fours. His extensive NBA career included coaching the Philadelphia 76ers to the finals and winning a championship with the Detroit Pistons. Later, he returned to college coaching at SMU, achieving notable rankings before stepping down due to violations.
Mike Woodson (Sacramento Kings associate head coach, 2025-present)
Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) 1996-1999; various teams in NBA
Woodson built a significant NBA coaching resume before moving to the college arena. He had a successful run with the Atlanta Hawks, taking them to the playoffs and achieving multiple winning seasons. Later, his time with the New York Knicks included playoff appearances. In 2021, he returned to Indiana University, successfully leading the Hoosiers back to the NCAA tournament in 2022 before resigning in 2025 with a strong overall record.
