North Carolina coach Hubert Davis found himself on the hot seat after the No. 6-seeded Tar Heels were upset 82-78 by the No. 11-seeded VCU Rams in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The shock loss was compounded by an early exit in the ACC Tournament 10 days ago.
Davis’ future in Chapel Hill has become a trending topic of discussion after the Tar Heels’ third consecutive early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Why UNC Legend Larry Brown is Supporting Coach Hubert Davis
In a statement released via CBS Sports reporter Seth Davis on Monday, North Carolina legend Larry Brown revealed his support for Davis despite the Tar Heels’ early Big Dance exit.
“I understand why North Carolina fans were disappointed with our loss to VCU, but people should remember that when Caleb Wilson was healthy, this team beat Ohio State, Kansas, Duke and Virginia and Kentucky on the road,” Brown’s statement read. “If Caleb did not get injured, this team might be in the Sweet Sixteen.”
“I believe Hubert Davis is the type of person and coach who should continue to lead our program. We have a great recruiting class on the way, and many of the current players want to stay to play for Hubert. I call on the North Carolina administration to do the right thing and allow Hubert to continue serving as coach.”
In five years in charge of the Tar Heels, Davis has compiled a 68-30 ACC and 125-54 overall record. He has won one regular-season ACC championship, reached the national championship game in 2022, and missed the Big Dance entirely in 2023.
During an appearance on the “Field of 68” podcast on Saturday, ESPN analyst Scott Van Pelt weighed in on Davis’ continued stay in Chapel Hill next season and the steps that North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham needs to take before firing the coach.
“Every conversation about him starts with the caveat that he’s one of the most wonderful guys anyone knows, because he is,” Van Pelt said. “But Carolina can’t be in the business of great guys who are not Carolina-level coaches.”
“All I’ll say is this. If you’re doing it, you need to have your hire made before you announce that he’s not coming back. You need to know who that person is.”
Davis had a legendary playing career for the Tar Heels under coach Dean Smith from 1988 to 1992, earning All-ACC honors before being selected in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft. He was appointed the head coach in 2021 after serving nine years as Roy Williams’ assistant.
