The news of UNC moving on from men’s basketball head coach Hubert Davis sent shockwaves Tuesday night across the college basketball landscape — and plenty of Tar Heel fans’ circles.
Days after UNC’s first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament, reporting around Davis’ future being murky led to plenty of online speculation. The athletic department’s announcement ramped up reactions even further, as fans and members of the Carolina family took to social media to share their reactions.
Davis led the men’s basketball program for five seasons as its head coach, but served as an assistant coach since 2012 and played for the Tar Heels from 1988 to 1992. As such, the news of his dismissal led to several players, both past and present, sharing their gratitude to their former coach. Among those from the 2025-26 roster were Seth Trimble, Caleb Wilson, Derek Dixon, Zayden High and Isiah Denis.
Many Tar Heel fans also shared their own reactions to the news. Some fans bemoaned the decision while others celebrated — but the majority of posts in the immediate aftermath shared more mixed emotions. In general the sense was an outpouring of support and gratitude toward Davis for his tenure and representation of UNC, with some fans sharing their favorite moments from the past 5 years and others sharing personal stories about interactions with the longtime Tar Heel.
I just feel sad. I wanted it to be Hubert. I think everyone wanted it to be Hubert. And the cards have been stacked against him in so many ways I could talk to you about when you have 2 free hours.But this had to change and what a massive change it’s gonna be.
— (@seanpetrizzi.bsky.social) 2026-03-25T01:13:44.262Z
The search to replace Davis begins immediately — especially in the age of the transfer portal in college basketball. Many Carolina fans posted about their expectations for what kind of standard Davis’ successor should follow and the importance of their beloved program.
To read the full release about Davis’ dismissal from the head coaching role, visit the Carolina Athletics website.
Featured image via AP Photo/Chris Szagola
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
‹
Brandon Robinson to Join UNC Men's Basketball Staff as Graduate AssistantA familiar face to Carolina basketball fans is set to return to the bench this fall, as a coach instead of a player. UNC head men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis told 97.9 The Hill’s Art Chansky in a recent interview that Brandon Robinson is returning to the program as a graduate assistant. “Brandon Robinson is […]
UNC Men's Basketball Reveals Hubert Davis' Coaching StaffUNC announced Thursday changes to the men’s basketball staff made by new head coach Hubert Davis, who will now have three former Tar Heel players sitting next to him on the bench. Sean May, who has been on the UNC staff since 2014, was elevated to an assistant coach alongside the incoming Jeff Lebo, who […]
ACC Opponents Set for 2026-27 UNC Men's Basketball SeasonThe UNC men’s basketball program revealed its ACC opponents for the 2026-27 season. It will be the second since the league shifted from a 20-game schedule to an 18-game schedule. Like in 2025-26, the Tar Heels will play two opponents twice, 14 opponents once and not play one other league school at all during the […]
Matt Able Withdraws From NBA Draft, Will Play for UNC Men's Basketball Next SeasonMatt Able, who committed to UNC out of the transfer portal in April after playing his freshman season at NC State but also went through the NBA Draft Combine process, withdrew his name from the draft Monday. Able has already signed with the Tar Heels, meaning he is locked in to playing for the program […]
Report: UNC Men's Basketball Hiring Former Tar Heel Brandon Robinson to StaffAccording to a report from Inside Carolina, former UNC men’s basketball player Brandon Robinson is set to join head coach Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill for the upcoming season. Robinson played four years in Chapel Hill and was a freshman on UNC’s 2016-17 national championship team. He played in 130 total games during his […]
Former LSU Signee Kevin Thomas Commits to UNC Men's BasketballKevin Thomas, a four-star recruit who initially signed with LSU but decommitted in March, has now committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC. View this post on Instagram Thomas, a 6-foot-6 wing from Fort Lauderdale, FL, committed to and signed with LSU last fall. But following the Tigers’ firing of head coach Matt McMahon, […]
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 SeasonAs Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
Report: UNC Men's Basketball Hiring Bryan Tibaldi as Assistant CoachAccording to a report from Inside Carolina, Bryan Tibaldi, who spent the 2025-26 season as an assistant coach at Providence, will join head coach Michael Malone’s UNC staff in the same position. Prior to arriving at Providence, Tibaldi had spent several years in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization in the NBA. Cleveland initially hired Tibaldi as […]
Report: Former Tar Heel Deon Thompson to Join UNC Men's Basketball Coaching StaffAccording to a report from Inside Carolina Tuesday morning, former player Deon Thompson is set to join UNC men’s basketball head coach Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill. Thompson was a four-year standout for the Tar Heels, appearing in 152 games, starting 113 and helping UNC win the 2009 national championship. Playing alongside Tyler Hansbrough […]
Multiple UNC Teams Post Perfect Academic Progress Rates, New Report SaysSeveral UNC sports programs posted perfect single-year and multi-year academic progress rates for the 2024-25 academic year, according to the NCAA’s latest report. Academic progress rate (APR) is used to track performance of scholarship students who compete on varsity teams, and the score measures eligibility and retention each semester. A perfect score is 1000, and […]
›
