UNC fires coach Davis after early tourney exit

North Carolina men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis was fired by the school, bringing a conclusion to a tumultuous week after the Tar Heels’ stunning loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The school did not specify the nature of Davis’ departure in its statement Tuesday night, simply calling it a change in leadership. But in a post to Instagram, Davis said he was “let go” by the university and that his desire was to continue to coach at Chapel Hill.

“This opportunity has truly been such a blessing,” Davis said in the statement. “I thank Jesus literally every day for giving me the opportunity, relationships and experiences with the kids and my staff. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish together. My goal is to coach again in the very near future.”

Davis has nearly $5.3 million of guaranteed money left on his deal, and the university said in its statement that it would “honor the terms” of his contract.

The decision to fire Davis came from a recommendation from current athletic director Bubba Cunningham and executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark, who will take over the AD role on July 1. That recommendation was accepted by chancellor Lee Roberts on Tuesday.

Cunningham, who is moving into a senior adviser role this summer, met with Davis throughout the past few days to discuss Davis’ plan for changes to help make the program more successful. After evaluating Davis’ plan, Cunningham and Newmark decided to recommend his removal to Roberts. Davis then called a meeting at his house to inform the team on Tuesday.

Davis’ exit looms large over a historic program that has long leaned into alumni and the so-called Carolina Way and opens one of the most coveted positions in all of basketball.

Thursday’s loss to 11-seed VCU triggered an emotional response from the UNC fan base and donors, as Davis’ Tar Heels exited in the first round of the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year. The Tar Heels led the Rams by 19 in the second half but collapsed down the stretch in an 82-78 overtime defeat. It was the largest comeback in the NCAA tournament since 2018.

Davis appeared sour and agitated in a postgame news conference, declining to get into specifics about the collapse, and answered a benign question about his in-game rotations by saying, “Because that was my decision.”

North Carolina went 24-9 this season, despite projected top-five NBA draft pick Caleb Wilson sitting out the final nine games because of hand and thumb injuries. North Carolina beat Duke on Feb. 7 to improve to 19-4 but went just 5-5 the rest of the way.

Last season, North Carolina lost to Ole Miss in the round of 64 after beating San Diego State in the First Four. The Tar Heels were one of the final at-large teams selected to last year’s tournament, getting a bid despite a 1-12 record against Quadrant 1 opponents.

Davis was promoted to head coach when Roy Williams retired in 2021. Davis spent nine seasons as an assistant on Williams’ staff.

“We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader — he has helped make special memories we will never forget,” Cunningham said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision because of Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level.”

Davis’ first three seasons brought a mix of highs and lows. He coached Carolina to the national championship game as an 8-seed in 2022, beating Duke in the Final Four in Mike Krzyzewski’s final game as the Blue Devils’ head coach. The Tar Heels led Kansas by 15 points at halftime of the title game before the Jayhawks came back to win 72-69.

North Carolina entered the following season as the preseason No. 1 team in the country but then became the first preseason No. 1 to miss the NCAA tournament.

The Tar Heels bounced back in 2023-24, beating Duke twice in winning the ACC regular-season title and earning a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament, wins that have proved to be the highest moments of Davis’ tenure. UNC beat Wagner and Michigan State in the first two rounds before suffering an upset to Alabama in the Sweet 16, finishing 29-8 overall. Davis won ACC Coach of the Year that season.

In five seasons as coach, Davis was 125-54, a winning percentage of 69.8%.

Davis is a longtime Tar Heel, playing his college ball under Dean Smith in Chapel Hill from 1988 to 1992 and earning All-ACC honors as a senior. He was a first-round pick of the New York Knicks and played for six NBA franchises over 12 seasons before moving to television as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

His departure opens the possibility of the school seeking a coach outside the North Carolina family for the first time since Bill Guthridge’s three-season stint ended in 1999-2000. Matt Doherty, Williams and Davis followed Guthridge and are all UNC alumni.