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1. Notables from our conversation with Michael Malone

It’s been about five months since North Carolina named Michael Malone its next head coach, replacing Hubert Davis.

The former NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets has now had some time to settle into the job. So what does Malone think of the college space, and what’s his vision for the Tar Heels?

Our very own Jeff Goodman and North Carolina legend Tyler Hansbrough sat down with him to find out.

Here’s what was notable from the conversation:

• Malone said no to the North Carolina job a couple of times. He felt like he was an NBA coach and wanted to chase after another championship. But he remembered a lesson from his father about living life without regrets: “When I thought about having a chance to be the head coach of the University of North Carolina… there’s a lineage here. This is a storied program, and I would’ve really regretted it if I didn’t jump and attack this head on to try to get this program back to where all of Tar Heel nation wants it to be.”

• Malone said he wants to defend, rebound, play up-tempo, but the most important thing will be the culture: “Being a work team, being a selfless team, being a team that trusts one another — if we can instill those habits on a daily basis, we have a chance to build towards something special.”

• On the recruiting trail, Malone’s been very active. He’s traveled to Portugal, Spain, Istanbul, Paris, Mexico and all over the United States for AAU. “I’m staying until the last [AAU] game on Sunday afternoon, and when I look around, no one’s there. And I hope that resonates with players… but that’s who we are.”

• More from Malone on recruiting: “If we’re going to win, you can be the best coach in the world, you have to get the best players. And I feel really good about the situation we’re in now.”

• The five-spot for North Carolina will feature two internationals, Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov. Malone said he went to Spain to see Keita live, and he jumped right off the page: “Elite rim protector, shot blocker. He was the best defensive player at last year’s NBA Top 100 Camp. Dynamic screen and roll lob finisher around the basket. Very good offensive rebounder… What excites me is the player he’s going to become. The potential that he has is just incredible.”

• On Samodurov: “He’s a big, 4-5. Can play both positions. Very skilled. He’s long. He can mix it up back to the basket and play on the perimeter. So we feel both those players can bring something to the table immediately.”

Still haven’t gotten your fix of Malone? He also spoke to the local media yesterday. You can find his full press conference here.

2. Buffalo lands former five-star guard

It’s been a long, winding career for former Syracuse guard JJ Starling. He’s now found his next home, committing to Buffalo on Thursday.

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