Where UNC must turn to save this coaching search after getting spurned by Tommy Lloyd

A North Carolina head coaching search that was already taking on water is now officially reeling, as top candidate Tommy Lloyd has reportedly agreed to a massive new contract at Arizona on the eve of the Wildcats' Final Four showdown against fellow No. 1 seed Michigan. Ironically enough, the Lloyd's counterpart on Saturday, Wolverines head man Dusty May, is himself a dream UNC candidate who doesn't appear to be giving the Tar Heels the time of day.

It's been that sort of search so far for Carolina, which was hoping to make a very big splash after finally firing Hubert Davis following another early NCAA Tournament exit. After all, Davis was a favorite son, and if the Heels were finally going to go outside the family with their next hire, said hire was going to need to come with a resume that commanded respect — and booster support — on day one. But reality hasn't quite cooperated, at least not so far, and now UNC is left to reckon with what a brand name and a bunch of money will and won't get you these days.

UNC getting stiffarmed by Tommy Lloyd shows just how much NIL has leveled the playing field

To be clear, this isn't an indictment of North Carolina as a program, or to suggest that this is anything but one of the very best jobs in college basketball. It's simply to suggest that, in this new world order we're all adjusting to, being one of the very best jobs doesn't go as far as it used to.

The proof is in the pudding. One by one, from Lloyd to May to Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger to Gonzaga's Mark Few, the elite candidates at the top of UNC's board — the sorts of names the Heels could've reasonably expected to have their pick of just a decade or so ago — have given them a "thanks, but no thanks". And it's not because of a lack of resources, or a couple of relatively down seasons on the court.

It's just that the advantages that Carolina used to hold over darn near every men's program in the country don't really exist anymore. Sure, UNC remains a Brand with a capital "B", from the association with Jordan to the decades of winning to a deep-pocketed fan base. But those deep pockets don't make as much of a difference in a world where most power-conference schools can throw serious cash around over the table, and tradition doesn't count for quite as much when there are future earnings on the line.

At this point, why would Lloyd leave a school at which he's already got a good thing going? Heck, why would someone like Otzelberger, despite the historic advantages North Carolina enjoys over a program like Iowa State? Sure, the Cyclones don't have as much access to talent or as big a name, but they do have both money and the ability to flip the roster every year, and those two things make it much easier to win wherever you happen to be. The bad news is this means that UNC can't throw their weight around as much as they used to. But the good news is that there are still plenty of quality candidates available, and there are more pathways to success than eve before.

Realistic UNC head coach candidates with Tommy Lloyd moving on

Billy Donovan

With Lloyd and May off the board, Donovan now becomes the Heels' top target with a bullet. Granted, we still don't know for sure whether he and the Chicago Bulls will actually part ways at the end of this NBA season but given [gestures at the state of the Bulls right now], that seems like a pretty safe bet.

And if Donovan does in fact look back toward the college game, there's still a lot to like. Don't forget, this is a two-time national champion and three-time SEC Coach of the Year we're talking about, someone who went 36-3 and made the Final Four in his penultimate year at Florida in 2013-14. Of course, that was over a decade ago now, and a whole lot has changed about the college game. But Bulls dysfunction notwithstanding, Donovan remains as shrewd a tactician and talent evaluator as ever, and I'd be willing to bet that his pro background would allow him to hit the ground running when it comes to NIL and roster management.

Ben McCollum

But let's say that Donovan somehow remains in Chicago, or that he opts to stay in the pro game rather than return to college. From there, McCollum would likely become the top choice among active college coaches, fresh off a miracle run to the Elite Eight with Iowa this spring.

Sure, he's only had two years of experience at the Division I level. But those two years featured a 55-17 overall record and four tourney wins, and if you're tempted to argue that he's simply a Bennett Stirtz merchant, I'll remind you that he was a four-time national champ at the Division II level before jumping to Drake two seasons ago. He's won literally wherever he's been in his career, he's still just 44 years old and he's as responsible for Stirtz's development as Stirtz is for his teams' successes.

Mark Byington

Yes, Byington just recently signed a long-term extension with Vanderbilt, one that comes with a reported buyout of around $10 million. But if any school (or group of boosters) would be willing to eat a number like that, it's UNC, especially if they're convinced that Byington is the best man for the job.

And it's not hard to make the case. He's got in-state experience, having played at UNC-Wilmington, and he's spent basically his entire life in the area — he grew up in Virginia and has coached at Charleston, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Southern and James Madison before arriving at Vandy. He made the second round of the tournament in his final year with the Dukes, and he made the Big Dance in both of his years in Nashville — including a run to the SEC Tournament final this year. It's quite the track record (and quite the explosive offensive system).

Grant McCasland

McCasland might not be the most natural fit, a Texas native who's spent almost his entire life in the state. But if we're taking this out of the family, it's worth casting a wide net, and his work both at North Texas and most recently at Texas Tech paints the picture of a guy who can really, really coach.

When he arrived at UNT, there was very little men's basketball success to speak of and even fewer resources. And yet, he won 20 games in year one, and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament three years later. He's also won at least 23 games in each of his three seasons in Lubbock, including an Elite Eight run in 2025. There are few more consistent power-conference winners on the board right now, full stop.