The 2026 men’s basketball coaching carousel produced a wide range of hires — comebacks, homecomings, NBA crossovers, long-tenured mid-major coaches leveling up, and one of the most talked-about rehires in recent college basketball history.
Here are the 10 most notable men’s basketball coaching changes we tracked in our database this month, and why each one matters if you’re a recruit, a club coach, or a family building a target list.
📋 Every coaching change listed below is already reflected in our Men’s Basketball Coaching Database, which was last updated on April 9, 2026 and covers 6,600+ coaches across 1,850+ programs at every level — DI, DII, DIII, NJCAA, and NAIA. Subscribers receive monthly updates automatically.
Our latest update included 11,200+ total changes across all sports — the most comprehensive monthly update in our history. These basketball coaching carousel hires were a major part of it.
1. Michael Malone → North Carolina
Previously: Denver Nuggets Head Coach (NBA) · 2023 NBA Champion · 471-327 career record
Why it’s notable: Bringing in an NBA championship-winning coach to lead one of the most storied programs in college basketball is an aggressive, somewhat outside-the-box approach — and it could signal where the sport is heading. Malone is a 24-year NBA coaching veteran who won the 2023 NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets, leading Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to the title. He’s the winningest coach in Nuggets franchise history with a 471-327 record across 10 seasons. The Nuggets fired him in April 2025, and he spent the past year as an ESPN analyst — until UNC offered him a six-year deal reportedly worth more than $50 million. It’s worth noting that this is the same athletic department that hired Bill Belichick to coach football. Chapel Hill is clearly taking a different route than most programs, betting that elite professional coaching experience translates to the college game in an era where NIL, the transfer portal, and revenue sharing have made college athletics look more like the pros than ever before.
The backstory: Malone played point guard at Loyola (Maryland) and comes from a basketball family — his father Brendan coached nearly 30 NBA seasons. Before going pro, Malone spent seven years as a college assistant at Oakland, Providence, Virginia, and Manhattan. His daughter Bridget plays volleyball at UNC, which helped put Chapel Hill on his radar. He replaces Hubert Davis, who was fired after the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead in a first-round Tournament loss to VCU. It’s the first time since 1952 that UNC has hired a head coach with no direct ties to its men’s basketball program.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Malone’s NBA pedigree will be a powerful selling point for players eyeing professional careers. His roster-building experience in the NBA — where managing contracts, trades, and free agency mirrors today’s transfer portal — could give UNC an edge in the modern landscape. Expect a completely new staff and a roster overhaul.
2. Will Wade → LSU (Second Stint)
Returning to LSU after stints at McNeese State and NC State · 266-119 career record across 12 seasons as HC
Why it’s notable: This is the most controversial hire of the cycle. Wade was pushed out at LSU in 2022 following investigations into the program’s recruiting practices. Now, just four years later, he’s back for a second stint at the same school. But the hire also fits a clear pattern in Baton Rouge. LSU has made it obvious that in the NIL era, they’re swinging for the fences across every major sport — hiring Lane Kiffin away from a playoff-bound Ole Miss team on a $91 million football deal, building women’s basketball around Kim Mulkey (who brought a national championship in 2023), and now bringing back the most aggressive recruiter they could find in men’s basketball. Love it or hate it, LSU is leaning all the way in.
The backstory: During his first tenure (2017-22), Wade went 105-51, won the 2019 SEC regular-season championship, and led LSU to the Sweet 16. After his departure, he rebuilt at McNeese State (50-9 in two seasons, back-to-back NCAA Tournaments), then spent a single season at NC State (20-14) before resigning to return to Baton Rouge. He replaces Matt McMahon, who went 60-70 over four seasons and never reached the Tournament. What makes Wade’s story even more unusual: he never played college basketball. He started as a student manager at Clemson and worked his way up through grad assistant and operations roles before becoming Tommy Amaker’s first assistant hire at Harvard, then Shaka Smart’s first assistant hire at VCU.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Wade is a proven winner and elite recruiter. His track record of building competitive rosters quickly means LSU should be relevant again fast. Expect the Tigers to be aggressive in the portal immediately.
3. Gerry McNamara → Syracuse
Previously: Siena Head Coach (37-30 in 2 seasons) · Syracuse alum, 2003 national champion
Why it’s notable: McNamara was the starting point guard who helped lead Syracuse to the 2003 national championship alongside Carmelo Anthony. He finished his career as the program’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (400) and minutes played (4,799), fourth in scoring with 2,099 points. His No. 3 jersey hangs in the rafters of the JMA Wireless Dome.
The backstory: After graduating in 2006, McNamara spent 15 seasons on the Syracuse coaching staff — 14 under Jim Boeheim and one as associate head coach under Adrian Autry. He left in 2024 for his first head coaching job at Siena, inheriting a 4-28 team. In year one, the Saints improved to 14-18 — a 10-win turnaround. In year two, he led Siena to a 23-12 record, a MAAC Tournament title, and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010. In the Tournament, Siena led No. 1 overall seed Duke 43-32 at halftime before ultimately falling 71-65. Syracuse introduced McNamara at a pep rally that drew more than 2,000 fans, many in “In Our McNamEra” t-shirts.
🎯 What it means for recruits: McNamara inherits a program that hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in five consecutive years — the school’s longest drought since the late 1960s. He’s a tireless recruiter who built Syracuse’s guard pipeline for over a decade. If you’re a guard, this is a staff that gives you confidence that they will know how to develop you.
4. Luke Murray → Boston College
Previously: UConn Assistant Coach (5 seasons) · Key staff member on 2023 & 2024 national championship teams
Why it’s notable: Yes, he’s the son of actor Bill Murray — but he’s also proved to be a heck of an offensive coach. Luke Murray is a Fairfield University graduate who spent five seasons on Dan Hurley’s staff at UConn (2021-26), serving as a key architect of the back-to-back national championship teams in 2023 and 2024. He followed Hurley from Wagner to Rhode Island to UConn over the course of their careers together. This is his first head coaching job.
The backstory: Murray balanced navigating UConn’s 2026 Final Four run with finalizing his BC hire simultaneously. Prior to UConn, he also had stints at Louisville (three seasons), Xavier (three seasons), and Towson (two seasons). At his introductory press conference, he acknowledged the scale of the rebuild: Boston College hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2009. Hurley called it plainly: “Boston College is about to have a renaissance in basketball.”
🎯 What it means for recruits: Murray’s offensive system helped produce multiple All-Big East players at UConn. If BC can provide the NIL and revenue-share resources to compete in the ACC, Murray’s recruiting chops and player development reputation could accelerate the rebuild. For recruits who might otherwise overlook Boston College, this is a staff worth a second look.
5. Randy Bennett → Arizona State
Previously: Saint Mary’s Head Coach (25 seasons, 589-228) · 12 NCAA Tournament appearances · 7x WCC Coach of the Year
Why it’s notable: Bennett spent 25 years at Saint Mary’s — a quarter century at one school — compiling a 589-228 record, winning seven WCC Coach of the Year awards, and leading the Gaels to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. He built Saint Mary’s from a program that went 2-27 the year before he arrived into a consistent national contender that won 20+ games in 18 of 19 seasons. He turned down bigger jobs for decades. This time, the pull of his home state was too strong — Bennett is a Mesa, Arizona native who played for his father at Mesa Community College.
The backstory: Bennett’s playing career started at Mesa Community College under his father Tom, an NJCAA Hall of Fame coach. He transferred to UC San Diego, where he graduated with a degree in biology. His coaching path wound through assistant roles at San Diego, Idaho, Pepperdine, and Saint Louis before he landed the Saint Mary’s job in 2001. Over the next quarter century, he developed six NBA players — including Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, and Jock Landale — and became one of the pioneers of international recruiting at the mid-major level. He replaces Bobby Hurley, who was fired after 11 seasons and a 185-167 record.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Bennett has a proven track record of developing international talent — Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, and Jock Landale all played for him at Saint Mary’s. If you’re a recruit from overseas or an under-the-radar prospect who thrives in a development-heavy system, Arizona State just became a much more interesting option in the Big 12.
6. Ben Jacobson → Utah State
Previously: Northern Iowa Head Coach (20 seasons, 397-259) · Program’s all-time winningest coach · 5x MVC Coach of the Year
Why it’s notable: Like Bennett, Jacobson is a coach who spent the better part of his career building a mid-major into a consistent winner — and ultimately earned a shot at a bigger stage. Jacobson spent 20 seasons as head coach at Northern Iowa, compiling a 397-259 record and becoming the program’s all-time wins leader. He guided the Panthers to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including the memorable 2010 Sweet 16 run that featured an upset of No. 1 seed Kansas. He was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year five times — the first coach in the league’s 115-year history to earn the honor that many times. Bigger programs came calling over the years, but Jacobson turned them all down. Utah State’s move into the new Pac-12, which will include Gonzaga and several former Mountain West programs, was what finally made the opportunity too compelling to pass up.
The backstory: Jacobson was the 1989 North Dakota Mr. Basketball out of Mayville-Portland High School, where he was also valedictorian. He played at North Dakota, finishing as the school’s all-time assist leader, and was a four-year letterman and two-year starter. He began his coaching career as an assistant at North Dakota and North Dakota State before joining UNI’s staff as an assistant in 2001 under Greg McDermott. When McDermott left for Iowa State in 2006, Jacobson was promoted to head coach and never looked back — winning 18 games in his first season, the most by a first-year UNI head coach since the program joined Division I. His son Hunter played for him at UNI as recently as the 2025-26 season.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Jacobson’s calling card has always been identifying, developing, and retaining talent at the mid-major level — more than two dozen of his former players went on to play professionally. Utah State recruits should expect a program built on toughness, player development, and a coach who knows how to win with what he has — and who now has more resources at his disposal than ever before.
7. Ronald Nored → Butler
Previously: Atlanta Hawks Assistant Coach (NBA) · Butler alum, 2010 & 2011 national championship game starter
Why it’s notable: Nored was the starting point guard on one of the most beloved teams in college basketball history — Butler’s back-to-back national championship game teams in 2010 and 2011 under Brad Stevens. He finished as Butler’s all-time leader in games played (143), steals (207), and postseason games played (16). He graduated with a degree in early/middle childhood education and earned Academic All-America honors.
The backstory: After college, Nored built his coaching career almost entirely in the NBA — head coach of the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn’s G League affiliate), then stints with the Celtics, Hornets, Pacers, and most recently three seasons as an assistant under Quin Snyder with the Atlanta Hawks. At his introductory press conference at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, star Tyrese Haliburton, and T.J. McConnell were all in attendance. Nored replaces Thad Matta, who retired after four straight losing seasons in Big East play.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Nored’s NBA connections and international scouting experience are unusual for a mid-major hire. His first recruit was a Serbian forward from the professional ranks — a signal that Butler’s roster-building approach may look very different under his watch.
8. Evan Bradds → Belmont
Previously: Duke Assistant Coach & Offensive Coordinator · Belmont’s all-time D-I scoring leader (1,921 pts)
Why it’s notable: At 31 years old, Bradds is one of the youngest head coaches in Division I — and he’s returning to the school where he rewrote the record books. He scored 1,921 career points at Belmont, led the nation in field goal percentage in consecutive seasons (.688 and .714), and his .667 career mark ranks sixth all-time in NCAA Division I history. He’s the grandson of former Ohio State All-American and NBA player Gary Bradds.
The backstory: After Belmont, Bradds went straight to the NBA — five seasons with the Boston Celtics, three with the Utah Jazz (where he coached the Summer League team), and most recently a season as Duke’s offensive coordinator under Jon Scheyer, helping the Blue Devils earn the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 Tournament. He was still on Duke’s bench when Belmont hired him, staying through the Blue Devils’ Tournament run before transitioning to his new role.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Bradds brings an NBA player development lens to a program that has consistently punched above its weight. His connections to Duke, the Celtics, and the Jazz coaching networks will expand Belmont’s recruiting reach.
9. Casey Alexander → Kansas State
Previously: Belmont Head Coach (166-60 in 7 seasons) · 303 career wins · 6 conference championships
Why it’s notable: Alexander is a lifer. He played point guard at Belmont under Hall of Fame coach Rick Byrd, helped lead the program to a 37-2 record and No. 1 NAIA national ranking as a senior, then spent 16 years on Byrd’s staff before getting his first head coaching job. He’s won everywhere he’s been — Stetson, Lipscomb (first-ever Atlantic Sun title and NCAA Tournament bid in 2018), and Belmont (166-60, four conference championships across the OVC and Missouri Valley). Belmont is one of only three D-I programs alongside Gonzaga and Kansas to have won 20+ games in 16 straight seasons.
The backstory: Alexander grew up in Nashville, prepped at Brentwood Academy, and chose to play at Belmont — a decision that essentially shaped his entire career. After graduating in 1995, he earned a master’s in sports management from Austin Peay and returned to Byrd’s staff, where he spent 16 years learning from one of the game’s most respected coaches. His first head coaching stop at Stetson (2011-13) showed he could win quickly, and his Lipscomb tenure proved he could build a program — the Bisons’ 2019 NIT run included road wins at Davidson, UNC Greensboro, and NC State before a championship-game loss to Texas at Madison Square Garden. He replaces Jerome Tang at Kansas State.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Alexander inherits a Kansas State program that went 12-20 and 3-15 in the Big 12 last season. It’s his biggest challenge yet, but his track record of winning in tough situations — and his reputation as one of the sharpest offensive minds in the sport — earned him the shot. This is a staff change recruits should be watching.
10. Scott Cross → Georgia Tech
Previously: Troy Head Coach (7 seasons) · 350 career wins · 7 conference championships across 19 seasons as HC
Why it’s notable: Cross is one of the great program-building stories in the sport. He carries 350 career victories and seven conference championships across 19 seasons as a head coach — but the most telling detail is what happened at UT Arlington. He led the Mavericks to five 20-win seasons and multiple conference titles, then was controversially fired in 2018 after three consecutive 20-win campaigns. It’s widely considered one of the worst administrative decisions in recent college basketball. Since his departure, UTA has churned through three coaches and had just one 20-win season.
The backstory: After one season as an assistant at TCU, Cross took over at Troy and built the Trojans into the Sun Belt’s dominant program — five straight 20-win seasons, back-to-back conference championships, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths. He was named 2026 Sun Belt Coach of the Year. He replaces Damon Stoudamire, who was fired after Georgia Tech finished dead last in the ACC at 2-16 with a 12-game losing streak.
🎯 What it means for recruits: Cross has a track record of developing mid-major talent into professionals — 19 of his former players have signed pro contracts. He played at UTA himself, averaging 11.9 points as a senior. Georgia Tech now has a coach who knows how to build from the ground floor.
Why This Matters Right Now
When a head coach changes, the entire program resets. New assistants. New recruiting coordinators. New email addresses. New phone numbers. New priorities. That’s not just one update in a database — it’s often 5-10 new contacts per program, multiplied across dozens of schools.
Our database tracked every one of these hires — and the hundreds of assistant and support staff changes that came with them — in real time as part of our monthly update cycle. For the full breakdown of every change we made this month, read our February 2026 database update. If you’re building a recruiting target list this spring, working off outdated contacts from December means you’re emailing ghosts.
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All coaching records in the ContactCollegeCoaches.com database are updated monthly. Every hire listed above is reflected in our current files. Know of a coaching change we haven’t captured yet? Email info@contactcollegecoaches.com.
