It’s been three-and-a-half months since Michael Malone was announced as UNC’s head men’s basketball coach, and it looks like the NBA champion has finished assembling his staff.
Gonzaga beat writer Theo Lawson of The Spokesman-Review reported on Thursday that assistant coach and director of basketball operations Jorge Sanz is set to join the Tar Heels. Sanz confirmed his departure from Gonzaga on social media but did not mention his destination.
Sanz, who grew up in Zaragoza, Spain, joined the Bulldogs as a graduate assistant in 2018 after eight years on staff at Florida Atlantic. The following season, he was promoted to director of basketball operations, and his role was expanded to assistant coach in 2023.
According to his Gonzaga bio, Sanz “is widely respected for his expertise in basketball analytics, applying advanced metrics to inform coaching strategies, scouting, and player development,” and has also “been instrumental in keeping the program’s international allure.” He holds the highest possible coaching certification in his native country and has been an assistant on several of its youth national teams, winning a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Sanz will be the fifth member of Malone’s coaching staff, joining newcomers Chuck Martin and Bryan Tibaldi and holdovers Sean May and Pat Sullivan. None of Malone’s hires have been officially announced yet.