The University of North Carolina has announced that they have fired men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis.
The decision comes just under a year after the Tar Heels inked Davis to an extension through 2030, only to remove him from the job after a first-round exit in March Madness at the hands of eleven-seed VCU.
The firing now opens up what is considered by many to be the most prestigious coaching job in all of college basketball.
‘We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped make special memories we will never forget,’ said UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham.
‘This was not an easy decision because of 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 compete more consistently at an elite level.’
The press release says a national coaching search is underway.
In the midst of a time where multiple major coaching vacancies have already been filled – Providence College’s hire of Bryan Hodgson and Syracuse bringing back alumnus Gerry McNamera most notable – the North Carolina job will likely take precedent over all other openings.
It’s the level of an opening that could lead some of the biggest coaches in the sport to consider leaving their already cushy jobs to take a run at the post in Chapel Hill.
Among the rumored names to be considered are some of the elite names in the sport: Alabama coach Nate Oats, Iowa coach Ben McCollum, Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger, Michigan coach Dusty May, Florida coach Todd Golden and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan.
So large is the shockwave in the sport that it’s very likely those coaches will all receive tantalizing extension offers from their respective schools to avoid leaving for Chapel Hill.
If any of those names are hired, it will be the first time in 74 years that the next North Carolina head coach will not have any prior connection to the program.
Beginning with Frank McGuire – who left St. John’s for UNC – the Tar Heels turned to assistant Dean Smith, who was in charge for 36 years and won three national titles.
Following him, coaches Bill Guthridge, Matt Doherty and Roy Williams all had some connection to the basketball program.
Williams, who arrived after reaching the national title at Kansas, went on to win three titles with North Carolina.
Davis, who played at UNC, became an assistant under Williams in 2012 and took over from him after his retirement in 2021.
Across five seasons, Davis coached the Tar Heels to a record of 125-54.
His biggest accomplishment at North Carolina was beating rivals Duke in the 2022 Final Four – the first ever matchup of the two schools in the NCAA Tournament. The victory also ended the lauded career of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
But in the national championship game, the Tar Heels surrendered a 16-point lead to the Kansas Jayhawks and lost the title.
Since then, North Carolina’s furthest trip in the tournament was to the Sweet 16 in 2024.
For the past two seasons, the Tar Heels were bounded in the 6v11 game in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, they fell as an eleven-seed to six-seed Mississippi while this year, they were eliminated by VCU.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
