Hubert Davis, former player and alumni for the University of North Carolina, accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater Monday evening following an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees to get the deal done. UNC moved fast to find their new leader after Roy Williams, an influential force in college hoops for 33 years, announced his retirement this past week.
Before the hire, Roy Williams revealed that Hubert would be the perfect choice for the job because coaching is about teaching and relationships – both traits Davis has. Rumblings from former players gave a sense of the direction the program was leaning towards after several guys mentioned Hubert was the right choice for the job.
Hubert Davis becomes the first African American coach and 19th overall in North Carolina men’s basketball history. Being an assistant for 9 years beside Williams, Hubert exhibited how to efficiently run a program, recruit, teach on and off the court, and be a leader of men. Keeping not just the foundation, but family oriented environment were factors in Bubba Cunningham announcing the hire.
What does the hire truly mean for UNC hoops?
Davis gives the program experience, player morale and trust. Yes, guys have entered their names into the transfer portal and some commits may have considered withdrawing their letter of intents (Dontrez Styles), having a man that’s been around the program for so long, has established a reputation for believing in the integrity, and has earned everything (especially as a minority), Davis is a clear example of what you can achieve by believing in the process. This hire is not just the best move, but the safest move. He’s been around the program as a player and coach, and has gotten a taste of what the boosters and alumni feel is a winning culture.
Hubert Davis, at this time, is the right man for the right job. As he stated, “I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead this program.” Davis has the pedigree for the UNC job. Neither Dean Smith, nor Roy Williams had any type of head coaching experience when they took their initial head coaching jobs and it panned out pretty well for both Hall of famers.