Michael Malone Ranked No. 3 Among Best High-Major Coaching Hires of 2026 in CBS Sports' "Candid Coaches Series"

North Carolina made arguably the biggest splash of the 2026 college basketball coaching carousel when it hired NBA champion Michael Malone. According to college coaches around the country, however, two other programs made even better hires.

CBS Sports’ annual “Candid Coaches” series asked roughly 100 college basketball coaches to identify the best high-major coaching hire of the 2026 cycle. Arizona State’s hiring of longtime Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett finished first with 32 percent of the vote, while Cincinnati’s addition of former Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun came in just behind him at 30 percent. Malone finished third at 16 percent.

That left Malone well clear of the rest of the field. Providence coach Bryan Hodgson finished fourth with eight percent, while LSU’s Will Wade and NC State’s Justin Gainey each received three percent.

Seeing Bennett and Calhoun ahead of Malone is certainly interesting given what North Carolina’s new head coach brings to Chapel Hill.

Malone spent more than a decade as an NBA head coach and led the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship. His ability to coach at basketball’s highest level was specifically cited by coaches who voted for him. One coach told CBS that Malone was the best hire “by far,” pointing directly to his NBA championship. Another argued that Malone’s background is particularly well suited for the modern college game, where roster construction and retention have become increasingly important.

There is, however, a logical case for Bennett and Calhoun topping the voting.

Bennett spent 25 seasons building Saint Mary’s into one of the nation’s most consistently successful programs before Arizona State finally convinced him to leave. CBS Sports characterized Bennett as an ideal fit for a Sun Devils program needing someone accustomed to maximizing resources and building sustainable success.

Calhoun, meanwhile, earned praise for his ability to build programs and win at multiple levels. After successful stops at Fairmont State, Youngstown State and Utah State, he now takes over a Cincinnati program searching for another step forward in the Big 12. Coaches surveyed by CBS pointed to his recruiting ability, program-building experience and clearly established coaching identity.

The distinction may ultimately come down to proven college experience versus Malone’s extraordinary professional résumé.

Bennett and Calhoun have already demonstrated exactly how they operate within the realities of college basketball. Malone is entering an entirely new environment, even if the modern transfer portal, NIL landscape and revenue-sharing era make college roster management look increasingly similar to professional basketball.

For North Carolina, that distinction probably matters less than what Malone does next.

UNC hired him to return one of college basketball’s premier programs to consistent championship contention. Finishing third in a survey of approximately 100 coaches is another indication of how highly regarded the hire is nationally. SRodd Baxleyome of Malone’s peers clearly believe Carolina may have landed the best coach of the entire cycle.

Now Malone gets the opportunity to prove them right.