The coaching vacancy at the University of North Carolina (UNC) has become one of the most talked-about stories in college basketball since it opened over 36 hours ago. This significant development is drawing intense interest even as the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 round begins. Many of the top coaching candidates remain active in the tournament and have been fielding questions about the UNC opening during media availability. The situation has sparked widespread speculation about who might take over one of college basketball's most prestigious programs.
One of the most notable names linked to the UNC job is Billy Donovan, the current head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and a former college coaching legend. Donovan led the University of Florida to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007 and is still regarded as a top coaching talent despite having left college basketball in 2015. Speaking before the Bulls' game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Donovan acknowledged the speculation surrounding him but emphasized his commitment to his current team.
"My main focus is on these guys and this new team," Donovan said. "I understand that there's stuff out there, and I understand that there is going to be certain speculation. But, I have to concentrate on this group, and really, my focus is on what we're doing here in Chicago and having a game tonight, and traveling to go and play in a back-to-back."
Donovan's potential availability for UNC partly hinges on the Bulls' current NBA standing. The team's recent 157-137 loss to the 76ers dropped Chicago's record to 29-43, placing them nine games behind the Miami Heat for the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. This situation contrasts with last year's Kentucky coaching search, when Donovan was considered a candidate but the timing didn't align, as the Bulls were still vying for a play-in position and Kentucky could not wait for his decision. Given the Bulls' current trajectory, UNC may have a better chance to secure Donovan if he is interested. SportsLine consensus odds currently list him as the betting favorite to become UNC's next head coach.
Donovan also commented on the changing landscape of college basketball, noting the differences between the college and NBA environments. "It's different in dealing with players who are being paid now," he said, referring to the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules and professional opportunities for college athletes. "I also think the cycle of the NBA today is totally different than the cycle of college. I'm focused on what I have to do right now. Like anything else, things are always changing in the game of basketball."
Another name that has come up in UNC coaching chatter is Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger. The Cyclones have not reached the Elite Eight since 2000, and they face Tennessee in the Sweet 16-a game that could mark a major milestone for the program. Despite the swirling rumors, Otzelberger was quick to put to rest any speculation linking him to the UNC job. He expressed enthusiasm for his current role and praised the alignment he shares with Iowa State's leadership, including university president David Cook and athletic director Jamie Pollard.
"Any speculation with me and any other jobs and opportunities is not true," Otzelberger said. "I'm the coach of the Cyclones. Thrilled to be the coach of the Cyclones. As we move forward together, the alignment on our campus with (university president David) Cook, (athletic director) Jamie Pollard is amazing, and we're thrilled and excited about our future together."
Pollard reinforced this message on social media, declaring that Otzelberger is "not going anywhere" and will remain Iowa State's coach for the foreseeable future.
Michigan's Dusty May is another rising coaching star whose name has surfaced in the UNC conversation. May, now in his first season at Michigan after a successful five-year stint at Florida Atlantic, has quickly turned around the Wolverines' program. Last season, he led Michigan from an eight-win team to the Sweet 16, and this year the Wolverines are a No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region with strong national title aspirations. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel expressed a clear desire to keep May long-term.
"I want Dusty to be the coach at Michigan for a long time and continue to achieve great success," Manuel said. "I will actively work with him towards making all that happen."
Arizona's Tommy Lloyd is widely regarded as one of the country's top coaches and is another candidate reportedly of interest to UNC. After serving as an assistant at Gonzaga for two decades, Lloyd has led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in each of his five seasons as head coach. This year's Arizona team is arguably his best, featuring the program's strongest roster since the early 2000s and significant momentum in recruiting. Despite the speculation, Lloyd's comments ahead of Arizona's game against Arkansas suggest he is fully committed to his current role.
"I already have one of the best jobs in the country," Lloyd said. "One thing we talk about in our program all the time, and I think I've gotten better at, and I think our team has been crushing it this year, is just the ability to have full focus and be present in the moment. I think we have a great team.
I think we have a chance to advance in this tournament game by game. But I'm not delusional. I know we could lose tomorrow.
But this team deserves my full focus, so there's not one thing that is going to knock me off my path. I'm 100 percent focused on Arizona basketball and this program, and I can't wait until the ball gets thrown up tomorrow, and then I can't wait to try to figure out a way to come out on top."
Alabama's Nate Oats has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the UNC coaching position. Oats was linked to the Kentucky job in 2024 but quickly dismissed those rumors, emphasizing his commitment to Alabama. Ahead of Alabama's matchup against Michigan, Oats reiterated that he is not interested in leaving and values stability.
"Yeah, it's not the first time," Oats said. "Look, a lot of respect for other programs that may open and they've got great basketball tradition.... If you've gotten to know me, I'm not a guy that's trying to always jump around.
The grass is not always greener. I love Alabama. My girls love Alabama.
Greg Byrne, best AD in the country. I love working with him. Would be great if I was able to work with him the rest of my career.
They're doing everything they can to make sure that we've got a competitive program, and as long as we're able to compete to win championships here, SEC, national championships, we haven't done that here yet, I'd love to be the coach to bring us our first national championship. To me, there's absolutely no reason to leave here. While it's flattering that a high school guy that caught a couple breaks would be mentioned with some of these jobs because they've got a lot of tradition, I'm not a guy that's looking to get out of here anytime soon.
I haven't talked to anybody, nor do I plan on talking to anybody."
Oats' contractual situation may also influence his availability. His buyout drops from $18 million to $10 million on April 1, which could make him a more feasible target for other programs. Oats is Alabama's most successful coach historically, having led the Crimson Tide to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including the school's first Final Four in 2024. There is speculation that Alabama may pursue an extension to retain him, especially as coaching searches across college basketball accelerate.
Oats added, "No, I don't have an offer in hand, but we've had some discussions, and it's probably getting close. We'll see where it takes us... I'm not looking to leave. They don't need to be in a huge rush to fix a really good contract that I've got right now."
As the UNC coaching search intensifies, several high-profile coaches remain firmly committed to their current programs, while others, like Donovan, appear to be intriguing possibilities if circumstances align. The vacancy has generated a flurry of speculation, but as many of these coaches focus on their immediate challenges in the NCAA Tournament, the situation remains fluid. UNC faces the task of finding a successor who can uphold its storied basketball tradition and compete at the highest level in an evolving college basketball landscape.