Analyst says Hubert Davis didn't want UNC job in first place?

[ASFN Admin]

Outside of an exciting NCAA Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels are the talk of college basketball now – and not for good reasons.

UNC blew a second-half, 19-point lead to VCU in both teams' Big Dance opener last Thursday, re-surfacing the question if Hubert Davis is the answer at head coach. Davis took over for Roy Williams ahead of North Carolina's 2021-22 campaign, leading his players to a surprise National Championship appearance, but mediocrity is largely the theme since.

With a decision likely coming from Davis in the next 48 hours, college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman gives his take on the situation unfolding in Chapel Hill:

“One of the things that I don’t think that a lot of people realize, is that Hubert didn’t really want this head coaching job," Goodman said. "This is something that was brought to him. Roy Williams picked him and you can’t say no. So Hubert took this job as a beloved former player, as a beloved former ESPN employee and as a beloved assistant coach at North Carolina. Nobody’s ever uttered a bad word about him – and now he’s getting crushed, year after year after year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s all on board with it as well. Give him his buyout and move on.”

ICYMI: @GoodmanHoops with the latest on Hubert Davis and North Carolina

"One of the things that I don't think people realize is that Hubert didn't really want this head coaching job"

: https://t.co/Y47Y9VqHf6pic.twitter.com/Z6oL5t2rCc

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 22, 2026

Even with zero National Championships under Davis' watch, he led the Tar Heels to five straight 20-win seasons. This is the type of production programs dream of.

When it came to big games, though, UNC faltered under Davis. The odds were stacked against North Carolina in this year's NCAA Tournament, but blowing a nearly-20-point lead – even without your superstar freshman – is inexcusable.

"It’s former players, it’s boosters, it’s everybody understanding that Hubert Davis hasn’t done the standard at Carolina," Goodman continued. The standard is to be competing for National Titles. The standard is competing for Final Fours. The standard isn’t just to limp in to the NCAA Tournament, which they’ve done multiple times when he’s been there."

Whether Davis stays, or the Tar Heels hire a big-name coach like Todd Golden, something has to change in Chapel Hill.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Jeff Goodman says Hubert Davis didn't want job

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