Michael Malone, UNC sign son of Tar Heels legend, two-time NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Michael Malone and the North Carolina have been busy at the start of the 2026 offseason, cutting ties with several assets and targeting potential replacements.
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On Wednesday, Malone and the Tar Heels made a notable roster move bound to make headlines: signing the son of a North Carolina legend and two-time NBA champion.
“Malloy Smith, a 6-5 guard from Encino, Calif., has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of North Carolina and play men’s basketball for the Tar Heels,” TarHeel247 Sports reported.
“Smith attends Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. He is the son of Kenny Smith and Gwendolyn Osborne Smith. Kenny Smith played for the Tar Heels from 1983-87, won two NBA titles in Houston, and is an Emmy-winning broadcaster. Malloy’s brother, K.J., played three seasons for the Tar Heels from 2018-21.”
There’s no question that Smith, who’s an unranked prospect according to multiple recruiting services, has big shoes to fill in Chapel Hill. Smith’s father was a consensus first-team All-American, a first-team All-ACC member, and a two-time All-ACC member before thriving in the pros.
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If Smith turns out to be half the player his old man was at the collegiate level, he’ll undoubtedly enjoy an impactful and successful career with UNC. The high school senior averaged 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game with Mater Dei this past season (according to MaxPreps).
It’ll be interesting to see how Smith performs in a Tar Heels uniform in the foreseeable future.
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