Friday night’s action in the Dean Smith Center between UNC men’s basketball and NC Central University featured some courageous and tough plays — but they paled in comparison to a courageous fight happening behind the NC Central bench.

The Eagles program welcomed Onyx Williams to its team as an honorary assistant coach for the matchup after NCCU head coach LaVelle Moton heard about the Durham four-year-old’s ongoing battle with an aggressive, cancerous brain tumor. The child’s story was shared by local news stations in recent weeks, which caught Moton’s attention — and he invited Onyx and his family to join NCCU on their trip to Chapel Hill to play the Tar Heels.

Williams stood with Moton and UNC head coach Hubert Davis at halfcourt before the national anthem on Friday, with Davis presenting him a personalized, signed UNC jersey and basketball signed by the Tar Heel team. Williams sat behind the Eagles bench during the game, with the NCCU players and coaches wearing shirts that said “All In With Onyx.” Afterward, the four-year-old joined Moton at the podium for the post-game press conference.

 

Afterward, UNC men’s basketball’s pages shared a GoFundMe campaign Onyx’s father created last December after Williams’ diagnosis with high-grade glioma. The fundraiser has garnered more than $10,000 as of Saturday afternoon, with new donations beginning to come in.

UNC men’s basketball won Friday night’s matchup vs. NCCU 97-53, which was the first meeting of the programs since 2020.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
No. 16 UNC Struggles Early Again, Recovers to Top NC Central
For the fourth time in its last five games, the 16th-ranked UNC men’s basketball team found itself trailing by double digits in the first half on Saturday afternoon against NC Central. The Tar Heels managed to pull it together, though, as they rallied to defeat the Eagles by a score of 73-67–snapping what had been […]
No. 6 Tar Heels Open With Upset-Minded Eagles
The No. 6 North Carolina men’s basketball team opens up its regular season Friday night with an 8 p.m. tipoff against the upset-minded N.C. Central Eagles.
UNC's Cameron Fens Now Ineligible After Tennessee Court Ruling
Cameron Fens, a seven-foot center who transferred to UNC from South Dakota earlier in August, is now ineligible to play for the Tar Heels in the 2026-27 season after ruling from the Tennessee Court of Appeals Wednesday. The court has issued a stay on the injunction granted to several athletes – Fens included – who […]
Full 2026-27 Roster, Jersey Numbers Announced for UNC Men's Basketball
The UNC men’s basketball program has announced its full roster, complete with jersey numbers, for the 2026-27 season, the team’s first under head coach Michael Malone. The squad is set 🔒 pic.twitter.com/oQ3cJfS4iH — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 21, 2026 The roster features six players from the 2025-26 team: senior forward Jarin Stevenson, senior guard Jaydon Young, senior […]
The NCAA Has Won a Victory in the Class of 2022 Debate. What Does it Mean for UNC?
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted a stay in the case of Wisne v. NCAA, temporarily putting on hold an injunction which had allowed student-athletes from the high school class of 2022 to play a fifth collegiate season this year. This ruling means players such as UNC kicker Rece Verhoff […]
Chansky's Notebook: Power to the People!
Wednesday's announcement of a two-year, two-game series between UNC and NC State in Greensboro sent a clear message.
UNC Men's Basketball Unveils Complete Non-Conference Schedule for 2026-27 Season
UNC published its full non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season Thursday. Though several games on the schedule had already been confirmed earlier, Thursday marked the first time the full list of games had been unveiled. Non-conference schedule is set 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/2IHQK7XHnC — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 20, 2026 Carolina will start with three exhibition games: […]
UNC Men's Basketball Facing NC State in Non-Conference Matchup at Greensboro Coliseum
UNC will face NC State in a non-conference matchup at Greensboro’s First Horizon Coliseum Tuesday, Dec. 15. The coliseum confirmed the game, dubbed the “Old Dominion Freight Line Tobacco Road Classic,” with an announcement Wednesday. A tip-off time is yet to be announced, and tickets will go on sale Sep. 10 on the coliseum website. […]
Chansky's Notebook: Setting the Expectations
In his first public comments since April, UNC head coach Michael Malone laid out his expectations for Year 1 and beyond in Chapel Hill.
The Morning News: Chatham Pipeline, Seth Trimble
In today's news: Chatham residents oppose a proposed natural gas pipeline, and UNC basketball star Seth Trimble transfers to Louisville.
›