The North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball is getting a familiar face back in Chapel Hill. According to reports, former Tar Heel national champion Deon Thompson is expected to join Michael Malone’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant, marking the start of his coaching journey in college basketball.
Thompson was a major contributor in winning UNC’s 2009 national championship.
During UNC’s 2009 season, he averaged 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while helping lead the Tar Heels to a dominant win over Michigan State in the national championship game.
Later, he moved to playing 15 years professionally overseas across 13 different countries like Germany, Greece, Spain, China, Japan, Turkey and Israel.
Along with being a part of the coaching staff he will also be pursuing his master’s degree at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
“Coach Malone gave us a feeling of respect and understood what Carolina Basketball means to everyone who was standing in that room. He said he wants to honor the tradition and it is important to him that we are heard.” Thompson said in a quote released by the school.
What This Means for UNC Basketball
Malone has made it clear that he wants to get former players back in the program, and Thompson will be joining UNC alumni like Sean May and Pat Sullivan.
“I know I’m not a guy that has been here before, but I want to do everything I can to make sure the former players are coming back, because they all said to me, ‘It’s not like it used to be,” Malone said.
Since Thompson has played at both the college and pro levels, he brings valuable experience from both levels. His 15-year overseas career has exposed him to different styles of play and coaching styles, which can be really beneficial for the program.
After firing Hubert Davis on March 24, North Carolina is coming off a turbulent stretch and significant roster turnover. By bringing back respected former players who understand the expectations in Chapel Hill, Malone appears focused on restoring stability while also modernizing the program.
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