Big news from Chapel Hill as long-time assistant coach and Tar Heel alum, Hubert Davis, has been hired as the new head coach for the North Carolina men’s basketball team.
As first reported by The News & Observer, Davis, who served as an assistant for nine years under Roy Williams, becomes the team’s first Black coach in program history.
The 50-year-old head coach played for legendary UNC coach Dean Smith from 1988 – 92 and was all All-ACC player his senior year. The Knicks drafted him with the 20th pick in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft and he played in the league for twelve years. He was hired by ESPN and worked for the network for seven years as a college basketball analyst before getting the coach from Roy Williams.
“I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead this program,” said Davis. “I would not be here without Coach Dean Smith, Coach Bill Guthridge and Coach Roy Williams; they taught me so much โ and I’m eager to walk their path in my shoes and with my personality. I also would not be here without Chancellor Guskiewicz and Bubba Cunningham. I appreciate their faith in me and I look forward to working closely with them.
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“I love this University. I played here, I earned my degree here, I fell in love with my wife here, I got married here, I moved here after I retired from the NBA and I have raised my family here. I am proud to lead this team, and I can’t wait for all that comes next.”
While he doesn’t have any head coaching experience, the university knew he was the right man for the job.
โHubert Davis is the best leader we can possibly have for our menโs basketball program,โ said UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham in a statement. โHe teaches student-athletes on and off the court. He inspires his fellow staff members. He is strongly committed to family. He has a tenacious, burning desire to be the best he can possibly be; we witnessed that when he was a player, a broadcaster and an assistant coach โ and I have no doubt he will ensure than our student-athletes and program will be the best they can be, as well.โ
Davis will be officially introduced as the team’s new head coach on Tuesday afternoon at the Dean E. Smith Center.
