NBA to NCAA: Michael Malone's Return and Other Notable Coaching Transitions
Michael Malone is reportedly set to become the next head men’s basketball coach at the University of North Carolina, marking a return to college coaching after an extensive NBA career.
Malone previously held college assistant positions at Oakland, Providence, and Manhattan early in his career. From 2001 to 2025, he served as an assistant or head coach in the NBA, notably leading the 2022-23 Denver Nuggets to an NBA championship. His transition highlights a significant trend of coaches moving between professional and collegiate basketball. The following outlines the career paths of several notable coaches who have made this transition.
Kevin Young
Kevin Young was appointed head coach at BYU in 2024. His NBA experience includes roles as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016-2020 and assistant/associate head coach with the Phoenix Suns from 2020-2024. Before his NBA tenure, Young coached in the D-League/G-League from 2007-2016.
Kevin Young, appointed head coach at BYU in 2024, brought extensive NBA assistant experience after a career in the G-League.
In two seasons at BYU, his team compiled a 49-22 overall record and 23-15 in Big 12 play, securing two NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 run in 2025.
Luke Loucks
Luke Loucks took over as head coach at Florida State in 2025, his alma mater. He previously served as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors from 2016-2021 and the Sacramento Kings from 2022-2025. During his time with the Warriors, the team secured multiple championships.
Loucks also held roles with the Nigerian National Team and the Phoenix Suns' strategy department.
Luke Loucks returned to his alma mater, Florida State, as head coach in 2025, following assistant roles with NBA championship-winning teams.
In his first season at Florida State, the Seminoles concluded with an 18-15 overall record and 10-8 in ACC play.
Fred Hoiberg
Fred Hoiberg is currently the head coach at Nebraska, a position he commenced in 2019. He previously coached his alma mater, Iowa State, from 2010 to 2015, achieving a 115-56 record, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and two Big 12 tournament titles. He earned Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2012 during this tenure.
Hoiberg then coached the Chicago Bulls from 2015 to 2018, compiling a 115-155 record with one playoff appearance before his termination.
Fred Hoiberg is a notable example of a coach moving between college (Iowa State, Nebraska) and the NBA (Chicago Bulls), achieving significant success in both collegiate tenures, including multiple Coach of the Year awards.
At Nebraska, after an initial rebuilding phase, the Cornhuskers recorded 28-7 (15-5 Big Ten) in 2025-26, making a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament and securing their first tournament game victory. Hoiberg received Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 2024 and 2026, and AP Coach of the Year in 2026.
Larry Brown
Larry Brown, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, achieved significant success in both college and NBA coaching. His college head coaching stints included UCLA (1979-1981) and Kansas (1983-1988), where he led the Jayhawks to two Final Fours and the 1988 national championship.
In the NBA, he coached numerous teams, notably guiding the Philadelphia 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals and the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship. Brown accumulated 1,098 NBA wins.
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Brown holds the distinction of winning both an NCAA national championship and an NBA championship, embodying success at both levels of the sport.
He later returned to college to coach SMU from 2012-2016, leading them to an AAC title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. He resigned in 2016 following violations related to academic fraud. He concluded his college career with 266 wins.
Mike Woodson
Mike Woodson, currently an associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings as of 2025, had an extensive NBA coaching career before coaching at Indiana. He served as an NBA assistant from 1996-2004 and was the head coach for the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-2010, leading them to three playoff appearances and a 53-29 record in his final season.
He also coached the New York Knicks from 2012-2014, achieving 54 wins in 2012-13 and two playoff berths.
Mike Woodson's career trajectory includes significant NBA head coaching roles with the Hawks and Knicks, followed by a return to lead his alma mater, Indiana, to NCAA Tournament appearances.
Woodson then coached his alma mater, Indiana, from 2021-2025, guiding the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and 2023. He concluded his tenure at Indiana with an 82-53 record and 41-39 in Big Ten play before stepping down in 2025.