As R.J. Davis continues his outstanding 2023-24 season for Carolina, many fans are clamoring to see his jersey enshrined in the Dean Smith Center rafters. Davis hasn’t clinched that honor yet, but that could change after the end of the regular season.
The men’s basketball program has several criteria for how a player can have his jersey honored:
MVP (as voted on by teammates) of a national title-winning team
After every season, championship or not, the team comes together for postseason meetings and celebrations. One of the items on the agenda at these meetings are voting for the team MVP. George Lynch was named team MVP of the 1993 championship-winning team, meaning his jersey hangs from the rafters.
Member of an Olympic gold medal-winning team
Players who win an Olympic gold medal with Team USA (or any other country) are eligible to have their jerseys honored.
First- or second-team All-America
One of the most common criteria to be met for an honored jersey, Carolina has a rich history of All-Americans. Some of the most recent honorees are Brice Johnson (first team in 2016) and Marcus Paige (second team in 2014).
ACC Player of the Year
A total of 15 Tar Heels have been named ACC Players of the Year, which is second only to Duke in the history of the conference. The most recent winners are Justin Jackson in 2017 and Tyler Zeller in 2012.
NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
One of the most difficult criteria to meet, only five Tar Heels have ever been named MOP: James Worthy, Donald Williams, Sean May, Wayne Ellington and Joel Berry. Oddly enough, in 1957, when Carolina won the national title, Wilt Chamberlain of Kansas was named MOP.
Davis is seen as the favorite for ACC Player of the Year and a likely first or second-team All-American, which would qualify him for the rafters twice over. And while it’s unlikely Davis will win any National Player of the Year honors over Purdue’s Zach Edey, he could qualify to have his No. 4 jersey retired if he wins that honor from one of these outlets:
- Associated Press
- National Association of Basketball Coaches
- Sporting News
- John R. Wooden Award
- Oscar Robertson Trophy
- Naismith College Player of the Year
As of February 2024, the most recent jerseys to be honored in the rafters are Joel Berry’s and Justin Jackson’s. Berry was honored for winning Final Four Most Outstanding Player during the 2017 championship run, while Jackson won ACC Player of the Year that same season.
Featured image via Inside Carolina/Jim Hawkins
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 biweekly newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: CredentialsWhile Tommy Lloyd appears to be UNC’s top choice for its next men’s basketball coach, Billy Donovan isn’t exactly the worst backup option.
Chansky's Notebook: Déjà BlueFor the second straight year, a Duke-UNC game served as an omen for the end of the Blue Devils’ season in the NCAA Tournament.
A Brief History of UNC Men's Basketball Head Coaching SearchesAs we near the one-week mark of the UNC men’s basketball head coaching vacancy, rumors continue to swirl about the Tar Heels’ potential targets. If leading candidates are any indication, the next head coach will not come from the “Carolina Family,” breaking a streak that began with Dean Smith. Since Smith, each UNC head coach […]
Chansky's Notebook: Tricky TimetableTwo of the prime candidates for UNC's head coaching job will be competing against each other in the Final Four Saturday night.
UNC's Caleb Wilson Declares for 2026 NBA DraftUNC star freshman Caleb Wilson will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2026 NBA Draft, he announced on social media Friday night. Wilson’s announcement comes less than a week after the university dismissed Hubert Davis as the head coach of the men’s basketball program. View this post on Instagram Wilson finished his freshman […]
Lloyd, May or Donovan? Pros and Cons of 3 Candidates for the UNC Men's Basketball Head Coaching JobAs UNC continues to search for its next men’s basketball head coach, three names which have been floated as prime candidates for the job are Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd, Michigan head coach Dusty May and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. All three men have had ringing success on the college stage, but there […]
Chansky's Notebook: The PoolWritten by MICHAEL KOH Bubba Cunningham and UNC are confident they’ll have their pick of the litter for a new men’s basketball coach. Cunningham and incoming athletic director Steve Newmark appeared on a special edition of the “Carolina Insider Podcast” earlier this week, and both detailed the decision making which led to Hubert Davis’ exit. […]
The Best and Worst UNC Men's Basketball Games in the Hubert Davis EraUNC head coach Hubert Davis’ time in Chapel Hill is officially over after five seasons, with the university announcing the men’s basketball program’s change of leadership on Tuesday. Davis’ tenure was defined by its high highs and low lows, and ultimately that inconsistency led to his dismissal. Here are some of the best wins and […]
Chansky's Notebook: You're a Good Man, Hubert DavisThe ugliness and awkwardness of Hubert Davis’ exit from the UNC men's basketball program should not overshadow the man he is.
UNC Parts Ways with Men's Basketball Head Coach Hubert Davis After 5 SeasonsUNC 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 […]
›
