North Carolina will always enter the college basketball season with some of the highest expectations out of any program in Division I.This upcoming season is no exception. Michael Malone enters his first season as head coach of the Tar Heels with some of the most pressure we’ve seen from a first-year head coach in recent college basketball memory. College basketball is a different world from the NBA, and we can expect the upcoming season to reflect that sentiment.UNC basketball coach Michael Malone during his first press conference inside the Smith Center on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe standard that North Carolina must live up to can be too much to handle as a first-year head coach, so it’s important to always remember to take the college basketball season one game at a time.The ACC Will Be a Tough BattlefieldThe unfortunate reality for coach Malone is that the ACC this season is potentially the strongest it’s been in a long while. Louisville has stocked up in the transfer portal and built an overall solid roster with threats just about everywhere. Apr 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDuke reloaded with an unfortunately impressive roster and could be the preseason No. 1 overall team. Miami, NC State, and Virginia should all be threats to the Tar Heels in the conference as well.With that being said, judging Michael Malone's first season can be tricky and should be done with a good amount of lenience and patience. Things may be tough in year one, and it’ll be important not to be too harsh too early on. Apr 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone gestures in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWith a new roster, a new setting, and his first time coaching after a career hiatus, the bar cannot be set too high for Coach Malone. Of course, with the talent he has and the level Carolina can play at, it will always come with expectations, but his success this season shouldn’t necessarily be measured by the overall record, as crazy as that may sound. How to Measure Malone's Success in Year OneWhat Tar Heel fans need to look for in year one is the desire to grow the program, holding players to a higher standard than anywhere else, and the ability to be a coach who knows how to run the X’s and O’s of basketball. Mar 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectCorrect substitutions, impactful rotations, and great set calls will be good yardsticks for measuring the head coach's competence. If Malone can play-call at an elite level and the shots just won’t fall, it’s hard to blame a loss like that on a head coach. Overall, it may be worth looking beyond the record to determine whether Malone is the coach for the future. If his offseason is any indicator of what’s to come, Tar Heels fans are in good hands. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow