Not everyone wants to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels, apparently... On Friday evening, Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum was asked about the vacancy at North Carolina, as well as the one that could open up at Kansas should Bill Self retire. McCollum, who just got to Iowa City this year, made it a point to say he plans on growing some roots with the Hawkeyes. He is not coming to UNC...
Simply put, McCollum let it be known that he has no intentions of leaving Iowa City for North Carolina.
"Yes. Those are, whatever those are ... yeah, those are all lies. And the only person that would ever know would be, well, three people, would be my athletic director, my wife, and that's about it, I guess. Two people."
McCollum's laugh at the end of this all-time quote really puts the cherry on top of this Iowa sundae.
Iowa head coach Ben McCollum’s name has been floated in connection to coaching positions like at North Carolina and Kansas.
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) March 27, 2026
Asked if he is planning on returning to Iowa next year: “Yes.”
“Those [rumors] are all lies.” pic.twitter.com/f6ckzBiX5C
Well, that puts a lot of pressure on Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz then. She famously succeeded Gary Barta and did something he never could, which was to fire Kirk Ferentz's son Brian Ferentz from being the Hawkeyes' toothless offensive coordinator. But you know what? That is college football, this is college basketball, and McCollum seems to be having the time of his life leading the Hawkeyes.
Now that McCollum has effectively removed his name from the equation, who is up next for UNC?
Iowa's Ben McCollum has no interest in being the next head coach at UNC
Right now, the two biggest names out there in the North Carolina coaching search appear to be Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd. While both have been asked about the vacancy, they have offered responses that did not exactly say no to the job at hand. The Bulls' season ends on April 12. Arizona is still playing for a national championship...
Look. Even though McCollum is having himself quite the moment leading Iowa, he may not be built for the high-profile gig that comes with coaching at a place like North Carolina. Lloyd would be ready for it after spending the last five years in Tucson. As for Donovan, he has led two NBA franchises before, and is the greatest head coach in the history of Florida Gators basketball. It may be a waiting game...
Overall, McCollum feels like the college basketball version of what the Indiana Hoosiers have in football with Curt Cignetti. They are both long-time head coaches who have won and dominated before, albeit at a lower level of competition. Often overlooked, winning prolifically in the midwest seems to be their bread and butter. McCollum could win at UNC, but fit the would not be as seamless.
Iowa will take on Big Ten rival Illinois in the South Regional final with a trip to the Final Four on the line.