The following is part of an exclusive interview between 97.9 The Hill’s Art Chansky and new UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis that aired on 97.9 The Hill earlier this week. Scroll to the bottom of this post to listen to the complete audio conversation.
After spending nine seasons as an assistant on Roy Williams’ staff, Hubert Davis was appointed to head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program earlier this year.
Speaking with 97.9 The Hill’s Art Chansky, Davis said the transition from assistant to head coach comes with several differences — most notable is that he’s “always on” as the head basketball coach.
“One of the things that I’ve told people over the last three or four weeks, that as an assistant all day, you’re making suggestions,” Davis said. “As a head coach all day, you’re making decisions. That’s the biggest difference between being an assistant coach and a head coach. Also as a head coach, you’re always on. You’re doing interviews, you’re on with your team, whether you’re going to the grocery store or the gas station, you’re always on being the head men’s basketball coach at the University of North Carolina.”
Davis played for the Tar Heels from 1988-92 and spent time in the NBA and with ESPN before eventually rejoining the program back in 2012. He has been effusive in his praise for Williams — who was in the front row at Davis’ introductory press conference as UNC’s head coach earlier this year.
Davis emphasized that it was important for him that Williams still be a part of the program, even if he’s no longer the head coach.
“He was in office earlier this week and having him in the office and being able to see him is just absolutely awesome,” Davis said. “I love it and it’s exactly what I wanted. They have an office for him right here in a basketball offices. I wanted him to have a place that he could call home and I wanted to his children and his grandchildren to feel comfortable and to feel like this place was home as well.”
The new head coach of the Tar Heels inherits a team that has struggled in recent years. UNC finished 18-11 last season and were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Wisconsin.
In addition, the team saw attrition early in the offseason. Former five-star recruits Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe left the program for Auburn and the NBA respectively. Garrison Brooks elected to use his final year of eligibility to transfer to Mississippi State and play for his father.
Since then, Davis has turned to the transfer portal for impact players — landing Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek and Virginia transfer Justin McKoy. While UNC returns core players like Caleb Love, R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot, Davis said the program still needs improve.
“We didn’t reach any of our team goals. Last year, we didn’t win the ACC regular season or ACC tournament. We didn’t get to a final four and we didn’t win a national championship. So since we didn’t reach any of those goals, that means we need to get better.”
Despite diving into the transfer portal for players — a recently new development in the world of college basketball — don’t expect the core themes of Carolina basketball to change. Davis has emphasized that he believes in the foundation of the UNC basketball program and everything it’s built upon.
“A lot of people have asked, ‘How is North Carolina from a basketball standpoint going to change?’ I’ve experienced this place I’ve coached here. I believe in the foundation of what Carolina basketball is about. The foundation of this place is just not going to change. It’s just not, I believe in it. I’ve played in it. I’ve experienced it. I’ve experienced success in it.”
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Listen to the complete conversation with UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis and 97.9 The Hill’s Art Chansky:
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