Hubert Davis fired as North Carolina men’s basketball coach

North Carolina Men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis was fired by the school, concluding a tumultuous week following the Tar Heels’ surprising loss. VCU In the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The school did not specify the nature of Davis’ departure in its statement Tuesday night, simply calling it a change in leadership. but in a post on instagramDavis said he was “let go” by the university and his desire was to continue coaching at Chapel Hill.

“This opportunity has truly been a blessing,” Davis said in the statement. “I truly thank Jesus every day for giving me the opportunities, relationships and experiences I have with the kids and my staff. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish together. My goal is to coach again in the near future.”

Davis has approximately $5.3 million of guaranteed money left on his deal, and the university said in its statement that it will “honor the terms” of his contract.

The decision to fire Davis came on the recommendation of current athletic director Bubba Cunningham and executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark, who will assume the AD role on July 1. That recommendation was accepted by Chancellor Lee Roberts on Tuesday.

Cunningham, who is moving into a senior advisor role this summer, met with Davis over the past few days to discuss Davis’ plan for changes to help make the program more successful. After evaluating Davis’s plan, Cunningham and Newmark decided to recommend his removal to Roberts. Davis then called a meeting at his home on Tuesday to inform the team.

Davis’ departure imperils a historic program that has long been focused on alumni and the so-called Carolina Way and opens up one of the most coveted positions in basketball.

Thursday’s loss to 11-seed VCU prompted an emotional reaction from the UNC fan base and donors, as Davis’ Tar Heels were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Tar Heels led the Rams by 19 in the second half, but trailed at the same time 82-78 overtime loss. It was the largest comeback in the NCAA Tournament since 2018.

Davis appeared sour and agitated post game news conferenceRefusing to provide specifics about the collapse, and responding to a benign question about his in-game rotation, saying, “Because that was my decision.”

Despite being projected to be a top-five NBA draft pick, North Carolina went 24-9 this season Caleb Wilson Kept out the last nine matches due to hand and thumb injuries. beat north carolina ruler Improved to 19–4 on February 7, but remained 5–5 the rest of the way.

North Carolina lost last season ole miss After beating in the round of 64 san diego state In the first four. The Tar Heels were one of the final at-large teams selected for last year’s tournament, receiving a bid despite a 1–12 record against Quadrant 1 opponents.

Davis was promoted to head coach when Roy Williams retired in 2021. Davis spent nine seasons as an assistant on Williams’ staff.

“We appreciate everything Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped create special memories we will never forget,” Cunningham said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision due to Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to more consistently compete at an elite level.”

Davis’ first three seasons were a mix of ups and downs. He coached Carolina to the national championship game as an 8-seed in 2022, and defeated Duke in the Final Four in Mike Krzyzewski’s final game as head coach of the Blue Devils. tar heels led kansas The Jayhawks led by 15 points at halftime of the title game before winning 72–69.

North Carolina entered the next season as the preseason No. 1 team in the country, but then became the first preseason No. 1 seed to miss the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels bounced back in 2023–24, defeating Duke twice to win the ACC regular season title and earn a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, wins that have proven to be the highest moments of Davis’ tenure. UNC defeated wagner And michigan state before being upset in the first two rounds alabama In the Sweet 16, finished 29–8 overall. Davis won ACC Coach of the Year that season.

In five seasons as coach, Davis was 125–54, a winning percentage of 69.8%.

Davis is a longtime Tar Heel, playing his college ball under Dean Smith at Chapel Hill from 1988 to 1992 and earning All-ACC honors as a senior. he was a first round pick new York Knicks and played for six NBA franchises in 12 seasons before moving to television as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

His departure opens the door for the school to seek a coach outside the North Carolina family for the first time since Bill Guthridge’s three-season tenure ended in 1999–2000. Matt Doherty, Williams and Davis followed Guthridge and are all UNC alumni.