R.J. Davis is headed out west.

The former UNC All-American, who spent five memorable seasons in Chapel Hill, signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers late Thursday night.

Davis is UNC’s all-time leader in both three-pointers made (359) and three-pointers attempted (977), while his career three-point percentage of 36.7 ranks third in program history, behind only Marcus Paige and Rashad McCants. Davis is also UNC’s all-time leading free throw shooter, with his career mark of 86.1 percent nearly three percentage points higher than second place.

Davis played a key role on UNC’s 2021-22 team which reached the national title game, as the then-sophomore started all 39 games. He scored 21 points in an upset win against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game with the Blue Devils, then scored a then-career-high 30 against No. 1 seed Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, helping the Tar Heels spring another upset on their way to the Sweet 16. In another matchup against Duke in the Final Four, Davis scored 18 more points in an 81-77 win.

The 2023-24 season catapulted Davis into stardom. The senior achieved career highs in points per game (21.2) and three-point percentage (39.8 percent) while leading the Tar Heels to an ACC regular-season title. That season saw Davis set a new career high with 42 points against Miami in February, a performance which also set a new record for points by a Tar Heel in the Dean Smith Center.

Davis hauled in numerous national awards, including the Jerry West Award for the nation’s top shooting guard. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and a unanimous first team All-American, securing a spot for his No. 4 jersey in the rafters of the Smith Center.

Davis leaves UNC having played in a program-record 175 games. He never missed a single contest during his collegiate career.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

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