University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Lucas: Building Habits
September 22, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
The first official practice of the Michael Malone era was undoubtedly Carolina Basketball.
By Adam Lucas
It wasn't that different.
That's what everyone wants to know, isn't it? Was the first official practice of the Michael Malone era a radical departure from the Carolina Basketball that we all know and love?
No, it wasn't.
Keep in mind that a "first practice" in 2026 is very different than a "first practice" a decade or two ago. Those first practices were for introductions and first opportunities for a team to be on the floor together.
More permissive NCAA rules in the current era mean the 2026-27 Tar Heels worked out together numerous times on the court before Tuesday afternoon's practice. But there's still something special about that first official practice.
It helps that the team and coaches have imminent exhibitions to point towards when they'll be on public display. The exhibition opener against Southern Cal in Greensboro is barely two weeks away, and Malone pointedly referenced that Oct. 9 game and the Nov. 2 regular season opener against Western Carolina when he addressed the team before practice. "Those days," he said, "are rapidly approaching."
Tuesday was a fun opportunity to see how this team functions together as a group. That's not just the 11 new players, but the first chance to watch a new group of assistant coaches and staff members teach on the court.
And there was plenty of teaching. The volume level wasn't unusually high, but the intensity was significant. Can't do a drill with flawless fundamentals? The punishment would be instantaneous:
"Get off my court," the head coach said, pointing to the sideline where he had a host of reserves ready to take the place of any offender.
"We are what we repeatedly do," Malone told his team before practice began. He and his staff then began making sure everything they do in individual drills and skill work is close to perfect.
It helps that he has a ready group of students. Several players asked questions that were surprisingly detailed for the first day of practice, led by Matt Able, whose first question of the day demonstrated an advanced understanding of the technical side of the game.
That had to please Malone, who is teaching the X-and-O side but also some of the more subtle parts of being a winning team. "Our communication has to be better," he told the team during one drill. It's a group that still needs a player or two to be the vocal centerpieces of that on-court communication, since the returner with the most experience, Jarin Stevenson, is quiet by nature. In addition to perfecting how they attack a defensive switch or defend a pick and roll, that's part of what these next six weeks before the Western Carolina game are meant to accomplish.
By that point, the Heels will have played three exhibition games and the team that now feels unfamiliar will have started to feel more recognizable. And those exhibitions and the practices that surround them will be more evidence that this is indeed Carolina Basketball. Multiple alumni were on hand for Tuesday's practice, including longtime NBA executive Mitch Kupchak. Malone made it clear he wants his team to push the tempo. He emphasized dominating the glass and preventing offensive rebounds.
Every drill on Tuesday was focused. Every trip down the court was detail-oriented.
"Right now," Malone told his team, "we're building habits."
It wasn't that different.
That's what everyone wants to know, isn't it? Was the first official practice of the Michael Malone era a radical departure from the Carolina Basketball that we all know and love?
No, it wasn't.
Keep in mind that a "first practice" in 2026 is very different than a "first practice" a decade or two ago. Those first practices were for introductions and first opportunities for a team to be on the floor together.
More permissive NCAA rules in the current era mean the 2026-27 Tar Heels worked out together numerous times on the court before Tuesday afternoon's practice. But there's still something special about that first official practice.
It helps that the team and coaches have imminent exhibitions to point towards when they'll be on public display. The exhibition opener against Southern Cal in Greensboro is barely two weeks away, and Malone pointedly referenced that Oct. 9 game and the Nov. 2 regular season opener against Western Carolina when he addressed the team before practice. "Those days," he said, "are rapidly approaching."
Tuesday was a fun opportunity to see how this team functions together as a group. That's not just the 11 new players, but the first chance to watch a new group of assistant coaches and staff members teach on the court.
And there was plenty of teaching. The volume level wasn't unusually high, but the intensity was significant. Can't do a drill with flawless fundamentals? The punishment would be instantaneous:
"Get off my court," the head coach said, pointing to the sideline where he had a host of reserves ready to take the place of any offender.
"We are what we repeatedly do," Malone told his team before practice began. He and his staff then began making sure everything they do in individual drills and skill work is close to perfect.
It helps that he has a ready group of students. Several players asked questions that were surprisingly detailed for the first day of practice, led by Matt Able, whose first question of the day demonstrated an advanced understanding of the technical side of the game.
That had to please Malone, who is teaching the X-and-O side but also some of the more subtle parts of being a winning team. "Our communication has to be better," he told the team during one drill. It's a group that still needs a player or two to be the vocal centerpieces of that on-court communication, since the returner with the most experience, Jarin Stevenson, is quiet by nature. In addition to perfecting how they attack a defensive switch or defend a pick and roll, that's part of what these next six weeks before the Western Carolina game are meant to accomplish.
By that point, the Heels will have played three exhibition games and the team that now feels unfamiliar will have started to feel more recognizable. And those exhibitions and the practices that surround them will be more evidence that this is indeed Carolina Basketball. Multiple alumni were on hand for Tuesday's practice, including longtime NBA executive Mitch Kupchak. Malone made it clear he wants his team to push the tempo. He emphasized dominating the glass and preventing offensive rebounds.
Every drill on Tuesday was focused. Every trip down the court was detail-oriented.
"Right now," Malone told his team, "we're building habits."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballMonday, September 21
Monday, September 21
Sunday, September 20
Friday, September 18