UNC men’s basketball head coach Hubert Davis will not return after five seasons in charge, the program announced Tuesday night.
Carolina Athletics shared a release at 9 p.m. with the announcement, saying it was parting ways with Davis after several days of discussions and review of his time leading the program.
“We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped make special memories we will never forget,” UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham said in the release. “This was not an easy decision because of Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level.”
“Hubert cares deeply for our University,” said Steve Newmark, the athletic director-in-waiting, “and it has been inspiring to watch him instill that love and Tar Heel tradition into the players he has coached. Chancellor Roberts, Bubba and I join all of the Carolina community in thanking Hubert and his family for all they have done for UNC.”
Davis shared his own statement on Instagram, saying his “desire was to continue to coach here.”
“I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish together,” Davis said. “My goal is to coach again in the very near future.”
UNC stated it would honor the terms of Hubert Davis’ contract, which runs through June of 2030 and is worth $1.25 million per year in base salary.
Davis finishes his tenure with a 125-54 overall record, though his Tar Heels lost consecutive games in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 in 2025 and 2026. It was the first time the program had ever had such a streak. After a debut season in which Davis led UNC to the national title game, Carolina made it past the Round of 64 just once in the following four years, including missing the tournament entirely in 2023.
Davis’ departure comes after UNC blew a 19-point lead in a loss to No. 11 seed VCU in the first round of the 2026 tournament. It was the largest such collapse in the history of the tournament’s first round.
Davis’ tenure was defined by high highs and low lows. In his first season as head coach Roy Williams’ successor, Davis’ Tar Heels wrapped up an uneven regular season with a memorable upset of No. 4 Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game as head coach of the program. Carolina received a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, then upset No. 1 seed and defending national champion Baylor on its way to the Final Four. There, UNC faced Duke again, and again the Tar Heels emerged victorious, ending Krzyzewski’s career. But Carolina couldn’t finish the job two days later, losing to Kansas in the national title game despite leading by 15 points at halftime.
UNC entered the next season as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll, but struggled to recapture the magic of that postseason run. Carolina would miss the tournament entirely that season, becoming the first ever preseason No. 1 to not make the tournament field.
In the next three seasons, UNC would make the tournament each time but again struggle to find postseason success. The Tar Heels were a No. 1 seed in 2024, but fell to No. 4 seed Alabama in the Sweet 16. In 2025 and 2026, they lost in the tournament’s Round of 64. It was the first time in program history UNC had lost consecutive Round of 64 games.
In addition to his tenure as head coach, Davis was also a standout Tar Heel player under head coach Dean Smith. Davis played from 1988 through 1992, helping lead Carolina to the 1991 Final Four. He was a first-round pick in the 1992 NBA Draft and played professionally for 12 seasons. He returned to Chapel Hill as part of head coach Roy Williams’ staff in 2012 and won a national championship in 2017.
UNC has begun a national search to find Davis’ replacement, according to Tuesday’s announcement. The university hired executive search firm Turnkey ZRG to assist in the effort, with both Cunningham and Newmark also set to consult an advisory group that will be made up of “key stakeholders,” like former players, former coaches and significant supporters of Tar Heel sports amid the search.
Featured image via Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group
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