The North Carolina Tar Heels have a coaching search on their hands. They are seeking a new men’s basketball coach to replace Hubert Davis. It’s the first time the program will have a true coaching search and, in all likelihood, go outside the “family” for a new coach.
Despite some struggles, North Carolina is still North Carolina. It’s a blue-blood job and it will be very attractive for any candidate. Immediately after the program announced the Davis decision, there were a few big names that are being connected to the program.
That includes two in the NBA.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander wrote on Davis’ situation and mentioned both Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Boston Celtics front office member Brad Stevens:
There are also two NBA names that loom large: Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan. Stevens seems a long shot, but UNC will have to make a call and impassioned pitch just to be sure. He is the President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics and viewed as unlikely to return to college basketball, though one told CBS Sports in recent days that Stevens hasn’t sworn off the idea of ever coaching again. That said, if Stevens does ever want to make a move back to the sideline, he’d have almost any job in the NBA he craved. UNC still is likely to ask, per a source.
Donovan is another interesting potential candidate. The 60-year-old coach of the Chicago Bulls hasn’t been in college since 2015. He’s overseeing a middling team right now and could be due for a change in scenery. One source told CBS Sports that Donovan would, at the very least, listen and be intrigued by the potential to coach at North Carolina. Donovan previously passed on courtships from other big college jobs, but North Carolina is the one school that Donovan has always held in especially high regard. Stevens would be a big-time hire, especially if UNC can get him out of the NBA and from his really good job with the Celtics. They will at least try as Norlander writes.
As for Donovan, he’s been with the Bulls since 2020 but the franchise is still rebuilding and he could want out. He has experience at the college level, winning back-to-back titles with Florida.
