Coach Hubert Davis was fired by North Carolina on Tuesday after the No. 6-seeded Tar Heels were upset 82-78 by the No. 11 VCU Rams in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last week. The unexpected loss represented Davis’ second consecutive exit from the tournament in the Round of 64.
Bruce Pearl Reacts to Hubert Davis’ Firing at North Carolina
Several prominent candidates in both college basketball and the NBA have been linked to the vacant North Carolina job, which has grabbed the headlines despite the NCAA Tournament reaching its climax. Davis’ firing has also inspired widespread discourse over the merits and demerits of the decision.
During an appearance on TNT Sports on Thursday, former Auburn Tigers coach Bruce Pearl bemoaned Davis’ firing by North Carolina.
“I just hate hearing the words ‘Hubert Davis was fired at UNC,’” Pearl explained. “That sentence right there bothers me to my core. Because if Hubert Davis, who has had such a great career, and [Jalen Rose], to your point, with his character and everything like that, can let go because he didn’t win enough when his best player got hurt?”
“That’s why I’m sitting here, guys,” Pearl continued. “That’s part of the reason why I’m sitting here. Because there is no loyalty anymore.”
In five years in charge of the Tar Heels, Davis led them to one regular-season ACC title and took them to the national championship game in 2022. He compiled a 68-30 ACC and 125-54 overall record.
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Kenny Smith Issues Warning Following Davis’ Dismissal
During Thursday’s segment of the “CBS Sports College Basketball” show, North Carolina legend and ESPN analyst Kenny Smith, who has been linked to the vacant Tar Heels job, distanced himself from the job and blasted the manner in which Davis was fired.
“I thought that was honestly disrespectful,” Smith said. “But first of all, Coach Hubert Davis, thank you. Your service and what you did for North Carolina basketball as a player and as a coach, you moved it forward. I think people forget that because of one game here and there.”
“But I also think this is a precarious position for North Carolina and for us as Tar Heels. Because what makes us special, when you fire one person, that’s Hubert Davis. But when you have Coach [Brad] Frederick, you have Sean May, you have Jeff Lebo, you have Marcus Paige, you have Pat Sullivan. What that is, is you have a lineage to every era of basketball that’s Carolina that was on that staff, including Hubert Davis.”
Smith has been heavily linked with the North Carolina job in recent days after starring for the Tar Heels between 1983 and 1987, leading them to two regular-season ACC titles and two appearances in the Elite Eight.
