Michael Malone's first coaching staff at North Carolina is officially complete.
Shortly after his press conference at the Dean Smith Center on Thursday morning, the UNC basketball program officially revealed the 2026-2027 staff. While we knew most of the pieces involved, the program set it in stone just weeks away from the regular season opener on November 2.
"It's a great mix of Tar Heel players who have won championships and maintain a connection to Carolina's tradition of excellence with a blend of coaches from other programs and experiences as we chart a new path forward to compete at the highest level of college basketball," Malone said.
Here is the official 2026-2027 coaching staff, of course, headlined by Malone, the new head coach of the UNC basketball program.
UNC Basketball’s 2026-27 Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Michael Malone
Executive Director & General Manager: Jim Tanner
Associate Head Coach: Chuck Martin
Assistant Coaches: Sean May, Brandon Robinson, Jorge Sanz, Pat Sullivan, Bryan Tibaldi
Director of Player Development: Deon Thompson
Director of Operations: Eric Hoots
Director of Strength & Conditioning: Jonas Sahratian
Athletic Trainer: Doug Halverson
Assistant to the Director of Operations: Kiersten Steinbacher
Video Coordinator: Thomas Malone
Malone's staff is a blend of guys who have ties to Carolina and some who have vast experiences elsewhere. Overall, it's a combination of coaches who collectively have success in various areas: on-court coaching, recruiting, culture building, etc.
One of the main components that Malone wanted to ensure he kept was the presence of Carolina guys on his staff, understanding the importance of having people who have been a part of the program and, most notably, succeed during their respective tenure in Chapel Hill.
"Pat Sullivan won an NCAA title playing for Dean Smith in 1993 and Sean May, Deon Thompson and Brandon Robinson were part of three different national championship teams with Roy Williams," Malone said. "Chuck Martin has coached for 30 years with head coaching experience and is one of the top recruiters in the country, Bryan Tibaldi has a blend of NBA and college experience on both sides of the ball and Jorge Sanz has been a part of a top program for nearly a decade with extensive international connections and brings a number of unique basketball experiences to the staff.
It was important to construct a staff that had connections to Carolina's many decades of excellence while also bringing in other individuals who can enhance this great University and basketball program."
For those who were worried about hiring someone "outside the family," North Carolina got it right when they hired Michael Malone for the job. Sure, he doesn't have that traditional connection to the university as those before him had, but he's clearly making sure that he maintains that culture that has defined the UNC basketball program throughout its rich history.
This new era of Carolina Basketball is an exciting one for many reasons. The official announcement of the coaching staff is just another step toward getting to opening night, one that all Tar Heel fans are already pumped to see.
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