North Carolina seeks a proven winner after a disappointing season. The legendary Rick Pitino, however, has firmly rejected any interest in the job.
North Carolina parted ways with Hubert Davis on Tuesday evening after the program was upset by No. 11 seed VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Davis took the job in 2021 after legendary coach Roy Williams stepped down. Davis, a former player for UNC and longtime assistant coach under Williams, led the team to an appearance in the national championship in 2022.
Since then, UNC has failed to make it past the Sweet 16 and has lost in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament two years in a row.
Unlike when the school hired Davis, UNC is expected to go after a proven winner.
St. John's head coach Rick Pitino is certainly a proven winner. He's won national championships with Kentucky and Louisville. He's made seven Final Four appearances.
On Wednesday, Pitino rejected any potential interest in the Tar Heels when speaking to NJ.com's Adam Zagoria.
“It’s St. John’s or retirement for me,” Pitino said.
Given Pitino's age, it might be in the best interest of North Carolina to find a younger coach with the potential to stay for a decade or two.
Pitino, 73, coached No. 5 seed St. John's past No. 4 seed Kansas on Sunday. That game could have been the final for Jayhawks head coach Bill Self.
If so, UNC would have healthy competition for a coaching hire this spring.
Pitino won't be headed to Chapel Hill, but there are several big-name candidates that could come to North Carolina.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan appears to be looking for an exit amid the team's rebuild. The Bulls traded three pieces of their core before the trade deadline in February, and the team has a long road ahead before it’s competitive.
Michigan head coach Dusty May is another interesting name for UNC. He's been with Michigan for only two seasons, and the Wolverines are a No. 1 seed getting set to play No. 4 seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Friday.
It'll be interesting to see who UNC winds up interviewing in the coming weeks. With April 7 marking the start of the transfer portal, the Tar Heels could act swiftly to bring a proven winner to Chapel Hill.