Kim English is walking away from his duties as an assistant on Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill, a move reported Sunday by ’s Pete Thamel. The departure comes as Malone tries to lock in the Tar Heels roster for next season.
English had only recently signed on with Malone, joining a staff that also included Chuck Martin, the longtime Arkansas assistant under coach John Calipari. Malone has kept Sean May, Pat Sullivan and Eric Hoots in place as he continues building out the bench while the program works the portal.
The timing matters because UNC is still chasing key additions and cannot afford much drift in a stretch that will shape the roster for next season. The Tar Heels are still working for the commitment of top portal guard Juke Harris, and they appear to have the upper hand for Utah transfer Terrence Brown, whose recruitment has been paused after a death in his family.
English brings a head coaching background from George Mason and Providence, where he went 82-81 across the past five seasons and never reached the NCAA Tournament at either stop. That history made him one of the more recognizable names on Malone’s new staff, and his exit leaves UNC adjusting again in the middle of a roster push that is not finished.
For Malone, the task is now as much about stability as staffing. The Tar Heels are trying to secure commitments and keep their plans intact, and the loss of an assistant he had just added means the next move on the staff could matter almost as much as the next one in the portal.
