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Hubert Davis is stuck between a splintered fan base.
To some UNC alumni and fans, plus misinformed members of the national media, there is no separating the Tar Heels’ disappointing record from the main reasons they are struggling so.
In retrospect, some people considered the 2021-22 team on the NCAA bubble until the Tar Heels beat Duke in Durham. But they finished with an ACC record of 15-5 before going on that magical run to the Final Four.
In 2023, Hubert could not fully replace sharpshooting grad transfer Brady Manek. And that 11-9 ACC record led to a snub from the NCAA selection committee as Davis went to work rebuilding his roster.
He proved his recruiting chops by signing transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan, among others, and 5-star freshman Elliot Cadeau and won Carolina’s first ACC regular season championship outright since 2017, the third and last natty under Roy Williams. That record of 17-3 won the conference title and led to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
There is no confirmation that Davis offered Ingram and Ryan enormous sums of NIL money to leave Stanford and Notre Dame to play on a bigger stage in Chapel Hill. In fact, that was confirmed by Hubert’s non-denial denial and refusal to discuss NIL.
He still doesn’t, but every indication is that he came up with enough money to secure a commitment from 6-foot-9 power forward Caleb Wilson away from Kentucky, among other suitors, with an opportunity to play right away next season as a likely one and done.
All it might have taken to vastly improve the current 13-10 and 6-5 records was landing one of the four established true big men to free up the perimeter shooters and drivers like they were able to do when Armando Bacot patrolled the paint.
Yes, the Tar Heels have become a mistake prone, too-anxious team on offense that falls behind games early with poor defense and despite gallant comebacks has rallied for only three victories in the final moments.
Davis deserves some of the blame for that, but it is easily the toughest task he has had as a head coach, figuring out how to play inside-out with a small lineup most of the time.
Some responsibility must fall on UNC and athletic director Bubba Cunningham for not making a total commitment to basketball until they backed up the Brinks truck to hire Bill Belichick as the new football coach.
So any decision on Hubert’s future should take one more season to retool the roster for a second time, considering he is losing R.J. Davis and Jae’Lyn Withers and whoever else might turn pro or enter the transfer portal.
The last thing Carolina needs right now is a high-profile search for a proven coach without ties to UNC, which will further divide the fan base and alienate former players who would like to see more NIL money than less of Hubert Davis.
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Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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