UNC hires assistant coach Hubert Davis to replace Roy Williams

By Lauren Brownlow, WRALSportsFan columnist/reporter

UNC has hired 50-year-old Hubert Davis, former Tar Heel guard and 9-year Roy Williams assistant, to take over for the retiring legend. He is the first Black coach in program history.

At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, a press conference will be held to officially welcome Davis as the new coach.

"I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead this program,"’ Davis said, per a UNC release. "I would not be here without Coach Dean Smith, Coach Bill Guthridge and Coach Roy Williams; they taught me so much — 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."

UNC AD Bubba Cunningham had said he wanted the hiring process to move quickly, and it certainly seems it has, coming just four days after Williams' own retirement announcement.

Cunningham also issued a statement in the UNC release:

"Hubert Davis is the best leader we can possibly have for our men’s basketball program. He 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 — and I have no doubt he will ensure than our student-athletes and program will be the best they can be, as well."

Davis, 50, is a Burke, Va. native and a UNC alum, playing for Dean Smith from 1988-92. Davis enjoyed a 12-year NBA career before joining ESPN as a college basketball analyst in 2008.

A fixture on College GameDay during that time, he then was hired by Roy Williams to be an assistant coach in 2012.

Davis did not play for UNC while Williams was an assistant, although his final year on staff was just before Davis' freshman year. Williams said he helped recruit Davis and coached him in the 1991 World University Games.

Davis' Carolina Family connections are there in terms of his alma mater and also literal in that his uncle, Walter, played for the Tar Heels. Former head coach Dean Smith held a spot for Davis' nephew Hubert on the roster if he wanted it, but warned him he likely would not play much. Davis ended up scoring over 1,000 points over his Carolina career and he still holds the record for best 3-point percentage in a season by any UNC player (.435).

Davis does not have head coaching experience, but the last coach UNC hired that did have significant experience was Williams himself. Even Williams' mentor Dean Smith was a former assistant under Frank McGuire.

WRAL's Sarah Krueger went to Chapel Hill to get some reaction from fans.

UNC alum Chad Busch was excited.

"Hubert played in the NBA, so not only was he a very successful college player but the fact that he can bring some experience from the NBA and bring it back to the program I think is helpful. I think that will actually resonate with a lot of players here as well," Busch said.

"It’s bittersweet to see Roy actually leave, but I think knowing that the program will be in good hands with Hubert gives a lot of optimism and excitement for the future."

Not all fans felt that way, though — like Mark Zapp.

"My personal opinion is they should have done a national search and looked at their options first in order to get the best candidate," Zapp said. "And it may be him, but at least explore your options."