How much will UNC pay basketball coach Michael Malone? Some details
READ MORE
UNC basketball coach search
UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis coached the Tar Heels for five seasons but was let go after they were defeated in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. On April 7, the university hired former NBA coach Michael Malone. Here’s ongoing coverage of North Carolina’s coaching transition.
Expand All
Financial details of Michael Malone’s UNC contract show he’ll be among the nation’s highest-paid college basketball coaches after being hired Tuesday to lead the Tar Heels.
Malone signed a six-year deal worth $50 million total, or a little over $8.3 million annually, according to a term sheet released by the program. North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham confirmed the amount to the N&O prior to its release. The UNC Board of Trustees approved the contract Tuesday during an emergency meeting at 2 p.m.
“We think his track record, he warrants that type of compensation,” said Steve Newmark, who will take over from Bubba Cunningham as UNC’s athletics director this summer. “And we also believe this institution and where it sits in the basketball hierarchy should be paying for what we believe is elite.”
Malone is set to make $7.5 million for April 7 through June 30, 2027. That rises $500,000 to $8 million for July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028.
The contract states the new head coach will make $8.5 million in Years 3 through 5 and $9 million in the sixth season.
The contract structure makes Malone one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball. Bill Self of Kansas, for reference, made $8.8 million this year.
“I think it’s the number that was needed to get him to come to college basketball,” UNC trustee Ralph Meekins said, adding that Malone would have had NBA coaching opportunities.
Malone, like other coaches in the ACC, is eligible for academic and athletic performance bonuses. His bonuses are worth up to $1.475 million per year.
The contract also includes expense allowances, relocation, private air travel and family travel.
Carolina has committed to no less than $6.75 million in revenue sharing for roster construction and a $4 million pool for assistant coaches and full-time support staff members.
Malone’s buyout is $8 million if he leaves before April 1, 2027. It drops $1.5 million per year. He will have no buyout if he leaves after April 1, 2032.
The buyout applies if Malone terminates the contract without cause “other than for permanent retirement from coaching or to accept a position outside of coaching.” It does not change regardless if he accepts a position with another university or an NBA team.
Cunningham and Malone have both signed the contract, according to a spokesperson for UNC athletics.
Malone arrives in Chapel Hill after a lengthy NBA career that included a championship as the Denver Nuggets’ head coach in 2023.
Unlike many high-profile college coaching hires, Malone’s agreement does not include a buyout paid to a previous employer. That distinction separated Malone from other top candidates during UNC’s search process.
The hiring follows the program’s decision last month to part ways with Hubert Davis after five seasons. Davis is owed roughly $5.3 million per the details of his contract.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 5:14 PM with the headline "How much will UNC pay basketball coach Michael Malone? Some details."
.JPG)
