Tommy Lloyd ‘100% focused’ on Arizona amid North Carolina reports

Arizona men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd remains “100% focused” on the program amid reports linking him to the North Carolina vacancy.

“I already have one of the best jobs in the country,” Lloyd told reporters on Wednesday ahead of his team’s Sweet 16 matchup against Arkansas. “One thing we talk about in our program all the time — and I think I’ve gotten better at, and I think our team’s been crushing it this year — is the ability to have full focus and to be present in the moment.

“I think we have a great team. I think we have a chance to advance in this tournament game by game. But I’m not delusional, I know we could lose tomorrow. But this team deserves my full focus. There’s not one thing that’s going to knock me off my path. I’m 100% focused on Arizona basketball and this program. I can’t wait until the ball gets thrown up tomorrow and then can’t wait to figure out a way to come out on top.”

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd address the rumors linking him to the open North Carolina job: “This team deserves my full focus, so there's not one thing that is going to knock me out of my path. ⁰I'm 100% focused on Arizona basketball and this program.”@AZSports @ArizonaMBB pic.twitter.com/UTCsTMmedn

— David Veenstra (@veenstra_david) March 25, 2026

Lloyd’s comments come after he was quickly connected to the open Tar Heels job shortly after they fired former head coach Hubert Davis on Tuesday. Both CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander and The Athletic’s Brendan Marks were among those connecting the dots, with Norlander adding Lloyd is a part of a candidate pool that also included Michigan’s Dusty May and Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger, among others.

Otzelberger has since dismissed the potential candidacy, telling reporters any speculation about him and other job opportunities is “not true.”

Lloyd enters Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup against Arkansas with 146 wins, the most by an NCAA men’s basketball coach across their first five seasons with a program. The accolades have followed, with multiple Coach of the Year honors, whether it be the Associated Press (2021-22), Pac-12 (2021-22) or Big 12 (2025-26).

“Coach Lloyd is such a good coach. He really cares about you off the court as well. It’s been a special experience for me for sure,” Wildcats freshman forward Koa Peat told Arizona Sports

The No. 1 Wildcats tip things off against the No. 4 Razorbacks at 6:45 p.m. MST. on Thursday.

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