ESPN’s NBA Playoff coverage was left with a significant void when Michael Malone departed for UNC. With the postseason tipping off, the network has turned to a veteran voice with decades of experience to fill the high-profile seat.

“Jay Bilas will fill departed Michael Malone’s role on ESPN’s NBA Playoff coverage,” reported FOS’s Michael McCarthy, shedding light on the situation.

With Michael Malone already settling down at Chapel Hill, handling things with the Tar Heels, Bilas is poised to call at least three or four games during the NBA playoffs that tip off this Saturday, April 18th. Those games were supposed to be TV showcases for Malone, before he signed a six-year, $50 million deal to coach the Tar Heels.

Bilas is not a new name in college basketball either. The veteran analyst comes with over three decades of experience calling college basketball. Other than being an analyst, he has also been a staple of the network’s NBA draft coverage since 2003. It was more than two decades later that Bilas covered his first NBA playoff game in 2025.

For Malone, however, his association with ESPN was short-lived. He had joined the network after leaving the Denver Nuggets back in 2025 and then transitioned into this new role. In fact, ESPN had planned the 2026 playoff season, keeping Michael Malone in mind, as part of the analysts who would be part of the NBA coverage. But that was not to be as UNC snatched him off to help their team going through a crisis.

But now that Malone has taken up the responsibility with the Tar Heels, he is choosing to make sure that the relapses UNC suffered are not repeated by any means.

Malone Adds Providence Head Coach Kim English To His Staff

Malone has hired former Providence coach Kim English to serve as an assistant. With English’s addition, the team now gains another experienced collegiate professional.

Having a competent head coach as an assistant is always a plus because they already know the ins and outs of the game far better than someone who is yet to take up the main role. After his two years at George Mason, English came to Providence and got the Friars to a total of 48 wins out of the 100 games played.

Now, fans would be looking forward to seeing what he can do at Chapel Hill with Malone leading the team. But it’s not only the coaches that Michael Malone is adding to revive the team. He is also bringing in players who he believes can make that difference.

Freshman Maximo Adams is one such player who chose to remain committed to UNC even after the coaching change. The 6’7″ forward out of Sierra Canyon is now being looked at as a cornerstone recruit for the Tar Heels’ future frontcourt action.

Malone has also used the transfer portal to poach guard Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech. The 6’9″ guard is Malone’s first commitment from the transfer portal and adds good size in the backcourt. His average of 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists shows his all-around game and what UNC can truly benefit from.

So a lot has changed since Hubert Davis’ firing as the team is looking to build up under the watchful eye of the former Denver Nuggets head coach. Malone looks determined to bring about a change and get the team back into championship contention. Many more additions will probably happen, and then we will have a clear picture of the Tar Heels roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. But these are undoubtedly exciting times for any UNC fan because it’s not every day you get an NBA-winning coach to lead your team.

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