Michael Malone Explains Why He Turned Down 3 UNC Contract Offers Before Accepting Job

Before becoming the new head coach of the UNC men's basketball team, Michael Malone needed some convincing.

Malone explained to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports why he turned down three contract offers from the Tar Heels before ultimately accepting the position.

"What do they say in the mob? They made me an offer I couldn't refuse," Malone said. "... I didn't come here because my daughter plays volleyball here. I've never been afraid of a challenge."

UNC hired Malone in April after firing former head coach Hubert Davis, who led the team to a 24-9 record last season before a disappointing first-round NCAA Tournament loss for the second straight year. The Tar Heels have failed to advance past the Sweet 16 in each of the last four seasons and haven't won a national championship since 2017.

Malone went on to add that he grew up as a fan of UNC because his father loved legendary head coach Dean Smith. The former Denver Nuggets head coach admitted that he considered a return to the NBA, but the opportunity to turn around the Tar Heels was too enticing to pass up.

"What really kind of made the decision easier for me as I thought about it was that I love and embrace a challenge, and North Carolina basketball presented an opportunity that very few people even have a chance to consider, and I did not want to have any regrets," Malone said. "Years down the road, I did not want to look back and say, 'I turned down an opportunity to coach one of the most prestigious basketball programs in the country.'"

Malone said that he and his staff have already been on the recruiting trail for this year and next season, and he plans to attack this challenge with the same drive that helped him lead the Nuggets to an NBA championship.