It didn’t take long for Jaydon Young to notice something different about North Carolina basketball under Michael Malone.
The Tar Heels officially began preseason practice this week, giving Young and his teammates their first taste of a full practice environment under Carolina’s new head coach. And according to the senior guard, Malone’s presence was obvious immediately.
“Honestly, the energy level on the very first day was kind of eye-opening,” Young told reporters Thursday. “Just to see the passion that he brought to it.” That energy could become one of the defining characteristics of Malone’s first North Carolina team.
Malone arrived in Chapel Hill after spending the overwhelming majority of his coaching career in the NBA, highlighted by leading the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship. His transition back to the college game has naturally brought questions about what his practices, schemes, and program will look like. Young is beginning to get those answers firsthand.
There are structural differences, including shooting work before and after practice, but the biggest change players have emphasized is the intensity Malone expects every time they take the floor. Sophomore Isaiah Denis similarly described the heightened practice intensity when speaking with reporters Thursday.
For Young, though, Malone is bringing something beyond demanding workouts. He is bringing belief.
That could matter considerably for a Carolina roster attempting to blend 11 newcomers with a small group of returning players. Young, Jarin Stevenson,z and Isaiah Denis are among the familiar faces charged with helping bridge the gap between what UNC was last season and what Malone wants the program to become. There will inevitably be a learning curve.
New terminology must be learned. Roles have to be established. Players from different schools and backgrounds have to figure out how their individual strengths fit together. But Young’s comments suggest Malone isn’t approaching the season tentatively. There seems to be an expectation (and conviction) that this group can be good. That mindset could be especially important for Young himself.
After transferring to Carolina from Virginia Tech last year, the Goldsboro native appeared in a limited role but flashed his ability when given extended opportunities. He scored 12 points in 19 minutes against Wake Forest and now enters his senior season competing for minutes in another deep Tar Heel backcourt. Young has already experienced one major transition at UNC. Now he is helping navigate another.
And if the opening days of practice are any indication, Michael Malone plans to attack that transition with plenty of passion. For Young, that intensity has been impossible to miss.
