Kenny Smith loves North Carolina’s hire of NBA champion Michael Malone

North Carolina’s decision to hire former NBA champion head coach Michael Malone drew heavy praise from one of its former stars.

TNT Sports and ESPN NBA analyst Kenny Smith, an All-American guard for the Tar Heels, said he loves the hire and laid out several reasons why — including the fact that Malone will coach Smith’s son, Malloy, who joins the Tar Heels next season.

Here’s what he had to say on the pregame show before the national championship game:

“Michael Malone, with all the indications saying that he is, will be and has signed a deal, would be 100 percent favorable for the Tar Heels.

Hubert Davis got us to a point, and shoutout to Hubert for what he’s done. But the contribution Mike Malone could make here as a Tar Heel, there’s a lot to it, Ernie.

There are four points I’d make. One, I didn’t like the idea that we’d have to poach someone from somewhere else. I’ve said that. I didn’t feel like, ‘Oh, go get this coach from somewhere else.’

Two, Mike Malone’s daughter is a volleyball player at the University of North Carolina. When we were doing ESPN together in L.A. this year, he was walking around with a Tar Heels shirt on, and I didn’t understand it at first. He’s a member of the Tar Heels band. He’s been drafted in by his daughter playing volleyball.

Third, I just think he’s a winner. Right away, he has a résumé no one else in college basketball has. He’s an NBA champion. And remember, he had the Joker, who is the No. 1 player in basketball but was drafted 41st. He helped develop Joker into the Joker. Now, Joker did it himself too, but Malone helped develop him — and development is what’s big in college basketball.

So I’m excited for the Tar Heels. My son’s going to be there. We’re not going anywhere. We’re trying to be back where we’re accustomed to being as Tar Heels.”

Smith has every reason to be happy, as he is not only a great player developer and tactician, but he wins.

Malone, 54, spent 12 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Sacramento Kings and Nuggets, compiling a 510-394 record. He led Denver for 10 seasons, going 471-327 and delivering the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2023. He is also the all-time winningest coach in Nuggets history.

Malone is the first North Carolina coach without prior playing or coaching experience at the school since Frank McGuire in 1952.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Michael Malone hire heaps praise from Kenny Smith