Mixed reaction as UNC fires Hubert Davis, begins search for next coach
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The decision to part ways with North Carolina men's basketball coach Hubert Davis was one that many saw coming, even if Tar Heels fans, players, and alumni weren't eager to see a respected figure and former player leave the program.
UNC-Chapel Hill Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham and incoming AD Steve Newmark said Tuesday that the university wants the Tar Heels to consistently compete for championships, including national titles. The pair ultimately determined the program needed new leadership to meet that standard.
"At the end of the day, when we're looking at what the expectations are for this program ... our aspirations each year are to compete for wins, championships, and ultimately the national championship," Newmark, now the executive athletic director, said on the Carolina Insider podcast. "And Bubba and I, after having lots of discussions, decided for us to continue to maintain that status, we needed to look for a different leader."
On campus Wednesday, the mood reflected a mix of disappointment and anticipation.
"I was kind of disappointed to see the news. I kind of want to still keep him here, keep the legacy," said student Thomas Locke.
"I'm sad to see him go. But I think it's time for a new era of UNC basketball," student William Baker added.
Others expressed conflicted feelings.
"I was very torn on it," said Cooper Martin. "Obviously, Hubert Davis is a Carolina legend here."
Davis' tenure ended after a second straight early exit from the NCAA tournament. UNC fell to VCU 82-78 in the opening round this year, mirroring last season's first-round loss to Ole Miss. The abrupt finishes contrasted with the early promise Davis showed after taking over for Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams, whom Davis served as an assistant.
"Before Roy Williams retired, we were doing great," student Emily Raspanti said. "Hubert Davis comes in, and suddenly we're losing."
That assessment may be a bit harsh. Davis led the Tar Heels to a national championship appearance in his first season and won at least 20 games every year he was at the helm.
Meanwhile, former Tar Heels standout and current ACC Network analyst Joel Berry said the news hit him personally.
"This is weighing heavily on me today," said Berry. "Being in the trenches with Coach Davis when I played, and knowing him personally, I know he is the guy for the job and could potentially have turned it around."
The search for a new head coach raises a familiar question for UNC -- Will the university promote from within its storied basketball family or look outside? The latter would be a rare move for the program.
"In this new era, innovation has to be what you move forward with," Berry said. "If you have to go outside the family and get someone who's going to bring in a new perspective, that's what you have to do."
The coaching change also comes as the university weighs the long-term future of the Dean E. Smith Center, one of college basketball's most iconic venues.
"Think about Duke taking Cameron Indoor (Stadium) off campus," Berry said. "It wouldn't be the same with (the Center) being off campus."
Cunningham and Newmark said the ultimate priority is finding a coach who can restore the program's championship consistency. UNC has not won a national title since 2017, when Berry was named Final Four MVP. It hasn't won an Atlantic Coast Conference title since 2016.
"We're looking for someone who can build the culture. Someone who's going to continue the legacy of this program. And that's not to say it hasn't been done in the past," Newmark said. "It's the winning and losing that hasn't been as consistent as we'd hoped."
With the transfer portal opening and a critical recruiting window approaching, the Tar Heels' leadership has to move quickly.
"You can't have patience with this one. It's like you got to get it going," said Berry. "There's no tampering (before the portal opens). People say that you're not supposed to talk to other guys. People have already made it. Dude's already know where they're going."
"We want to get the right person. And if it takes a couple of days, great. If it takes longer than that, that's what it's going to have to take," Cunningham said.
UNC Leadership Speaks
We're hearing from UNC chapel-hill leadership as the school launches its search for their next head men's basketball coach.
It comes days after UNC parted ways with Davis following the team's first-round exit in the NCAA tournament.
Chancellor Lee Roberts and Board of Trustees Chair Malcolm Turner addressed the media on Thursday.
They addressed next steps for hiring a men's basketball coach saying Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham and future AD Steve Newmark are running that process, but they declined to get into any specifics.
"I don't have much to add to what I said yesterday. Hubert Mosley Davis, our phenomenal people. Coach Davis will tell you that he met his wife here at Carolina and became a Christian here. His uncle's jersey is hanging in the rafters. Hubert and Leslie, our Carolina parents, they love the university deeply and the university loves them back. They'll always have a place of pride in the hearts of the Carolina family," said UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts.
Ultimately, they said the board will act only in the approval process.
