Bulls Coach Billy Donovan Likely to Get Pay Raise with North Carolina Move

Tar Heels officials have narrowed their coaching search to the NBA veteran after other college options fell through.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:00pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the overlapping geometric shapes and planes of a basketball game, rendered in a palette of navy, powder blue, and orange to conceptually represent the high-stakes transition of an NBA coach to the college ranks.The potential hiring of NBA veteran Billy Donovan as the new head coach of the University of North Carolina's storied basketball program would signal a bold new era for the Tar Heels.Chicago Today

With Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May out of consideration for the head coaching opening at the University of North Carolina, Tar Heels officials are now solely focusing their efforts on luring Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan to the college ranks with a lucrative contract offer.

Why it matters

Donovan's potential move from the NBA to the college game would be a high-profile hiring that could reshape the landscape of men's college basketball, especially for a storied program like North Carolina that is looking to rebound after a down season.

The details

North Carolina has zeroed in on Donovan as their top target after other college coaching candidates like Lloyd and May withdrew from consideration. Donovan, who has led the Bulls to the playoffs in two of his three seasons, is expected to command a significant pay raise to leave the NBA for the college game.

  • North Carolina's men's basketball head coaching position opened up in March 2026 after the previous coach stepped down.
  • Donovan has been the head coach of the Chicago Bulls since 2020.

The players

Billy Donovan

The current head coach of the Chicago Bulls, who has emerged as the top target for the University of North Carolina's men's basketball head coaching vacancy.

University of North Carolina

The storied college basketball program in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that is searching for a new head coach after the previous coach stepped down.

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What’s next

North Carolina officials are expected to make a formal contract offer to Donovan in the coming days as they look to finalize their new head coaching hire.

The takeaway

Donovan's potential move from the NBA to the prestigious North Carolina program would be a major coup for the Tar Heels as they look to return to national prominence in men's college basketball.