There may be a head coaching job opening within the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program, and analysts are saying Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd fits the bill.
Four days after UNC's March 19 First-Round loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament, famed college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman cited the Arizona head coach as a name that is "floating around.''
"They want a big name certainly at North Carolina," Goodman said on the Golic & Golic podcast. "Tommy Lloyd probably looks like the name that — if you want a big name, look at what he's doing at Arizona. And they could win the whole thing."
Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 after its second-round NCAA Tournament win over Utah State. This Sweet 16 matchup with Arkansas will be Arizona's third straight trip to the Sweet 16.
This is Lloyd's fifth season at Arizona. The Wildcats also had a season under Lloyd where they made the Sweet 16 while finishing second in the final AP Top 25 poll. If Arizona wins the national championship, however, Goodman does not see Lloyd leaving.
"And then, if they win the whole thing, I don't know how Tommy Lloyd leaves Tucson for Chapel Hill," Goodman continued. "It would be tough."
Current Tar Heel head coach Hubert Davis is on the hot seat after losing in the first round in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments, and he has only been in the Sweet 16 once in the last four seasons.
Yahoo Sports senior writer Dan Wolken also believes Lloyd is the first name that comes to mind for this potential opening. He even made clear that he believes that UNC should hire Lloyd:
“I think the person that they will and should initially target is Tommy Lloyd from Arizona.” 👀@DanWolken shares a few names UNC could consider if the program moves on from Hubert Davis.
(via Yahoo Sports Daily) pic.twitter.com/DMEMUwtkFQ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 24, 2026
"I think the person they will and should initially target is Tommy Lloyd from Arizona," Wolken said. "I don't know that they will be able to get him. I don't know if he wants to move out to the East Coast. He's been kind of a West Coast guy his entire coaching career."
Lloyd's current position is the first head coaching position he has held in college basketball, and prior to this position, he was an assistant coach for Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington.
"But obviously you look at the job he's done in Arizona," Wolken continued. "And they've got good resources there, but not anything like what you'd have at North Carolina including the brand, including the financial backing. They are going to be invested in winning at the highest level there. And it's probably a top three job in the country."
UA basketball podcaster at Wildcat Radio 2.0, Adam Green, shared his perspective on what interest in Lloyd from UNC would mean:
I'd be offended (and a bit worried) if UNC or any other top school wasn't interested in Lloyd, but I find it hard to believe he'd leave when he's got it pretty dang good at Arizona and can obviously compete at the highest level there. https://t.co/LmoW7ffZGJ
— Adam Green (@theAdamGreen) March 24, 2026
"I'd be offended (and a bit worried) if UNC or any other top school wasn't interested in Lloyd," Green posted on X, in response to what Wolken said. "But I find it hard to believe he'd leave when he's got it pretty dang good at Arizona and can obviously compete at the highest level there."
UA has advanced to four Final Fours in their history, winning one NCAA Championship. UNC has advanced to 21 Final Fours in their history, winning six NCAA Championships. Program history, as well as the previously mentioned factors by the analysts, will likely all factor in Lloyd's decision if he is offered the Tar Heel job.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Are analysts proving that Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd belongs with UNC?