UNC's K.J. Smith played college basketball at the highest level. Now, he's covering it as an analyst
Posted Sep 6, 2021
K.J. Smith is using his time at UNC and his connections in the college basketball and NBA worlds to hit the ground running in a newly created role. “I learned a lot from UNC about judging talent, what an NBA pro looks like. There’s a lot of players I’ve seen and had my eyes on since I’ve been playing to where I can say: ‘Yeah, this guy is the real deal.’”
(Fayetteville Observer)
Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA
Big expectations: Inside Michael Malone’s retooling of UNC’s frontcourtThe centerpiece of UNC Basketball's rebuild is Sayon Keita, a 7-foot-1, 205-pound prospect Michael Malone scouted personally in Huelva, Spain, shortly after taking the job...
Sun Sep 6, 2026Michael Malone on first transfer portal experience: ‘I felt like I was Keanu Reeves in The Matrix’
The Tar Heels, who had a laundry list of candidates, eventually reached a deal with NBA Champion head coach Michael Malone, which was a landmark...
Sun Sep 6, 2026
Scorers, shooters, and facilitators: Michael Malone’s backcourt takes shape
"When that portal opened the day I got the job, it seems like five months ago, we addressed the backcourt,” Michael Malone said at a...
Sun Sep 6, 2026
Michael Malone: 'I like our front court'
Michael Malone on Alexandros Samodurov: "We call him Samo because Samodurov is a mouthful. Samo, another guy we got from Europe playing for Panathinaikos. Samo...
Sun Sep 6, 2026
