Just days after Roy Williams’ retirement, UNC hired longtime assistant Hubert Davis to replace the Hall of Famer as head coach.
Davis takes over as head coach after spending the past nine season as an assistant coach on Williams’ staff. He played for the Tar Heels from 1988-92, during which time UNC won the 1989 and 1991 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournaments and played in the 1991 Final Four. He averaged 21.4 points and earned second-team All-ACC honors as a senior.
People on social media praised UNC’s decision to promote from within, with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas calling Davis the “real deal” with an “uncommon understanding of the game.”
I had the honor to work alongside Hubert for many years at ESPN, and I simply don’t know a better person. Don’t let the smile and laugh fool you, Hubert is a cutthroat competitor with an uncommon understanding of the game. And, he bleeds Carolina Blue. Hubert is the real deal. https://t.co/wktuL4snTn
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) April 5, 2021
Great hire and an even better person. One of the best people to work with when he was at ESPN. https://t.co/uaHJTYN7nG
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) April 5, 2021
Jeff Goodman from Stadium reported that Davis was Williams’ choice to succeed him, but former players within the UNC family thought that UNC Greensboro head coach Wes Miller “was a better pick for the job.”
Hubert Davis was Roy Williams’ choice to succeed him, and that went a long way with Bubba Cunningham, source told @Stadium.
But there were multiple former players in the Carolina family that felt as though Wes Miller was the better pick for the job.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 5, 2021
Several former UNC players, whom Davis had the opportunity to recruit and coach, chimed in as well. Kenny Williams, who played at UNC from 2015-19, said the hiring of Davis was deserved.
So happy for my guy!! Deserved!!! https://t.co/eRZjlgBnSI
— Kenny Williams III (@KWill_24) April 5, 2021
There’s only one right answer!
— Brandon Robinson (@BRob_4) April 5, 2021
HD❤️❤️ https://t.co/8a7Lm2DMmf
— Nassir Little (@2ez_nassie) April 5, 2021
The hiring of Davis marks a landmark for UNC — as Davis becomes the first Black head coach for the Tar Heels in a major revenue sport like basketball or football.
This is a very important note re: Hubert Davis' hiring:
He now becomes the first Black head coach at #UNC in a major revenue sport. https://t.co/bHzmZVWmqm
— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) April 5, 2021
North Carolina is planning to hire assistant Hubert Davis as its head coach, per @clbrownhoops
Davis will be the first Black coach in the program’s history pic.twitter.com/bhlB2mspmk
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2021
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham chose to stay within the Carolina Family for this hire. Davis played under Dean Smith and coached under Williams — a fact that is not forgotten amongst fan, fellow coaches and analysts.
Hubert Davis is a perfect representation of Carolina Basketball at every level, and is tied to both Michael Jordan & Pat Riley. He sacrificed to come home to Chapel Hill, and I’ll give him my full support if he’s the next Head Coach at North Carolina.
— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) April 5, 2021
Hubert Davis, ladies and gentlemen
12-year NBA veteran
Played in 1991 Final Four
Graduated from UNC in 1992
1989 and 1991 ACCT Champion
9 years on UNC Staff as Assistant
137 games as a Tar Heel from 1988-92
Holds UNC career 3-point % record (.435)Welcome to UNC's next coach!
— UNC Humor (@UNC_Humor) April 5, 2021
Happy for my brother Hubert Davis. So many ppl don’t understand that UNC isn’t a Bball program, it’s a 5th generation family. Hubert is the connector bc he played for Coach Smith and coached with Roy.. He’ll do well
— LeVelle Moton (@LeVelleMoton) April 5, 2021
Bilas also shared a hilarious ESPN commercial that Davis starred in, with the focus on the Duke-UNC rivalry.
Congrats to my friend, Hubert Davis. It seems like just yesterday we were having lunch at the UNC cafeteria. pic.twitter.com/fDAQVADzc4
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) April 5, 2021
Featured image via AP Photo/Chuck Burton
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Great choice! Now all he has to do is win.
After an exhaustive search, HD get’s a top three job. As long as Carolina Blue are happy…
Only time will prove me correct or wrong. Wes Miller would have been a better choice. Davis will last only 3 years before he is fired.
Hubert Davis has no head coaching experience & UNC should have gone outside the family and hired a proven winner. Nepotism is the only way at UNC. Disgusting, but I don’t let it bother me anymore, since NCAA basketball sucks ass so bad it’s not worth watching. I just wanted to chime in to piss off you UNC alumni fan boy ass kissers. It’s a crying shame in Roy’s tenure UNC didn’t at least tie or pass Kentucky in NCAA Titles. Roy had Tyler Hansbrough/ Marcus Paige both for 4 years & Harrison Barnes for 2 & got 1 damn title. The wanna be golfer coach Roy dadgum should have UNC positioned right behind UCLA at 8 or 9 titles. By the way all you expert fanboys at Carolina how did Roy allow that crook John Calipari to win that title in 2012,Coach K to get that worthless title with freshman in 2015, and lose to Villanova in 2016 with hardly any post play?
You sound like a person needing a friend. Hope you can work through your anger issues.
Hubert Davis can’t coach. Give me a break. UNC already went through this with Doherty 20 years ago.
Guy can’t coach. But one thing’s for sure – UNC won’t be labeled racist. And that’s really what’s most important to colleges.
No he’s right! Terrible move. Name one school that’s ever tried to recruit him as a coach. None! He earned nothing. He was handed the job.
Look at them now. Terrible defense. Giving up 80 plus points a game. Even to Brown. That’s ridiculous! I wished they’d never hired him now.
A damn joke is what Davis is. Losing by 30 points to Kentucky is just ridiculous. Id step down if I got my ass whipped like that. Do us all a favor and just quit.
Absolutely pathetic! How the hell do you lose to a 10-16 Pitt team? Damn!
Hey Hubert why don’t you try uncrossing your arms and coach these kids every once and a while. Are you not tired of the undisciplined players you got? You just plan out suck as a coach!
This team is a damn joke. I have never seen such an overrated UNC team like this one. These guys are a bunch of street ball players. And the coach is terrible. They way the players play and respond is on Hubert Davis. I got an idea, get rid of him. He shouldn’t be coaching that team no way. He didn’t deserve that job.
Get rid of Hubert Davis now! I’m so sick of him. He’s a loser!