Roy Williams has been wildly successful since taking over the North Carolina Tar Heels head coaching job in 2003, winning two national titles, making three Final Fours, and winning six ACC titles. However, recent health concerns and age have raised questions as to how much longer he will be on the sidelines in Chapel Hill. Ol' Roy insists that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but when he does retire, who could replace him? Here are Roy Williams' top five potential successors at UNC:
5) Hubert Davis, North Carolina assistant coach
Davis would fit in UNC's mold of hiring coaches with ties to the Dean Smith era, and he perfect fits the mold of what you would consider to be a "Carolina guy." His 12-year NBA career gives him the pedigree to attract recruits and is excellent at connecting with players, but he doesn't have any prior coaching experience prior to joining UNC's staff in 2012.
4) Chris Mack, Xavier head coach
Mack would be a very, very intriguing option for North Carolina. The head coach at Xavier since 2009, he won two Atlantic 10 championships and now has the Musketeers as perhaps the top team in the Big East. He may be content to stay at Xavier now that they're in a major conference, but Xavier coaches (Skip Prosser, Thad Matta, Sean Miller) have a history of leaving for jobs at Power 5 schools. The chance of coaching at UNC could be too much for him to pass on.
3) Bryce Drew, Valparaiso head coach
Drew has emerged as one of the brightest young stars in the coaching world since taking over at his alma mater in 2011, winning four Horizon League regular season titles in his first five seasons, including two NCAA tournament berths in his first four seasons - three in five if they make it this year. North Carolina has never sprung for a mid-major coach with no ties to the program, but Drew is someone they definitely have their eye on.
2) Shaka Smart, Texas head coach
Shaka's interest in North Carolina will largely depend on when Roy Williams retires. He has erased any questions about his coaching during his first year at Texas, taking a Longhorn team that missed the tournament last year and has turned them into a top 25 team - without using the press-defense style he used at VCU. We know about his NCAA Tournament resume from his time with the Rams, but he may be unwilling to leave the Longhorns in the next year or two since he just got there. That being said, if UNC goes after him hard, it will be extremely difficult for him to turn them down.
1) Gregg Marshall, Wichita State head coach
Marshall in undoubtedly target No. 1 for North Carolina. He has built Wichita State into a national power since taking the job in 2007, making the Final Four in 2013 and winning three Missouri Valley titles. Marshall is one of the most well-respected coaches in the entire country, and he could be looking for a jump to a major job sooner rather than later. He'd be a slam dunk hire for the Tar Heels.
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