If the UNC basketball program has visions of Todd Golden being their next head coach, the stars seem to be aligning rather nicely.
The Gators get stunned
The reigning national champion Florida Gators saw an early exit in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, suffering a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the No. 9-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday in the Round of 32.
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As one of the top four seeds in this year's tournament, no one expected an early exit from the Gators. While the country is still stunned by Florida's abrupt tournament exit, it bodes well for North Carolina if Golden piques their interest in being their next head coach.
Circumstances could benefit the Tar Heels
If Golden is a target of interest for the job, Florida's loss to Iowa really helps the Tar Heels pursuit of him.
Now that the season is over for the Gators, North Carolina doesn't have to wait around to reach out. As reported by multiple media outlets, the Tar Heels are expected to pursue coaches with national championship pedigrees, as the expectation was (and still is) that some top targets will be coaching deep into March.
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While no official decision on Davis' future has been announced, you could expect that North Carolina is backchanneling to gauge interest from potential candidates for the job, a list that could certainly include Golden.
Of course, North Carolina may not have their eyes set on Golden. They might not even want to pursue him due to his current buyout clause (one that might be too costly). However, you have to think that the circumstances are aligning things right for UNC, especially if Golden sits near the top of their wish list.