North Carolina assistant Hubert Davis hired to replace Roy Williams as next Tar Heels coach

North Carolina has hired UNC assistant coach Hubert Davis to replace Roy Williams as the school’s next men’s basketball coach, the school said Monday afternoon. Davis, 50, was a star Tar Heels goaltender under Dean Smith from 1988 to 1992 before a long playing career in the NBA. He has spent the past nine seasons as an assistant for the Tar Heels.

Williams announced his retirement last week after 18 seasons at the helm. UNC won three national titles under Williams, and Davis was on the bench for the most recent title in 2017. As a former Carolina player and current assistant, Davis had to be one of the best. candidates for the post once Williams, 70. , resigned.

UNC has made three Sweet 16s and one Final Four during his playing career, and his connection to Smith and Williams makes him a certified member of the “Carolina family”.

Davis was heavily involved in recruiting, bench coaching, and scouting during his time on the UNC staff after working for seven years in an analyst role with ESPN before entering the ranks of coach. As a 6-foot-5 goaltender, he was known for his 3-point shots during his playing career and turned that skill into an NBA career with the Knicks, Raptors, Mavericks, Wizards, Mavericks and Nets which has lasted from 1992 to 2004.

UNC Greensboro coach Wes Miller, who is also a former UNC player, was also to be given consideration for the job. However, Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said retaining the post with the college ‘family’ was ‘not the only factor in trying to make a decision like this’.

But Cunningham also said he wanted the research to go “as fast as possible,” and putting Davis in Williams’ place would give a sense of continuity for a program that has a talented roster that is only four years out of the way. ‘a national title.