UNC's Hubert Davis Agrees to New Contract Through 2027; Deal Worth Around $16.7M
Oct 27, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 04: Head coach Hubert Davis of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on against the Kansas Jayhawks during the first half of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Caesars Superdome on April 04, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Fresh off the most successful first season for a men's basketball coach in North Carolina history, Hubert Davis is getting a raise.
The university released details of the head coach's new deal Wednesday, a little more than two months after it was signed. Davis is now under contract through the 2027-28 season, and he'll make about $16.7 in guarantees over the course of the deal. He can also earn an additional $1.1 million per season in performance bonuses.
"I love this job," Davis told reporters this month. "I've always wanted to be a part of this program. And to say that I've been able to be a part of it as a player, as an assistant coach and now as a head coach is a really cool deal."
An assistant for a decade under Roy Williams, Davis took over last season and became the first coach in program history to lead the Tar Heels (29-10) to the national championship game in his first year.
North Carolina will enter the 2022-23 season with a veteran-laden roster seemingly primed for another deep run in March. Four of the team's five starters from last season return, highlighted by leading scorers Armando Bacot and Caleb Love. Both the Associated Press and Coaches polls ranked the Heels as the nation's top team by a significant margin in preseason voting.
After coming into last season as the No. 19 team in the country with minimal expectations, it'll be interesting to see how Davis handles the weight of national championship pressure. The Heels' NCAA tournament run in March was largely a happy surprise; they were a No. 8 seed, matching the all-time record for the lowest seed to compete for a national title.
While few will quibble with Davis getting a contract extension now, don't be surprised if things turn if North Carolina struggles out of the gate. Heels fans don't have to look far into history to remember Bill Guthridge, who had a Final Four run in his first season (1997-98) replacing Dean Smith before the program started to falter.
Pete Nance Transfers to UNC from Northwestern After Withdrawing from 2022 NBA Draft
Jun 18, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 10: Northwestern Wildcats forward Pete Nance (22) backs into the post against Iowa Hawkeyes forward Keegan Murray (15) during the mens Big Ten tournament college basketball game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Iowa Hawkeyes on March 10, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The North Carolina Tar Heels got a major boost to their title hopes for the 2022-23 season, landing former Northwestern forward Pete Nance in a transfer.
Nance had put his name into the NBA draft ring this offseason but ultimately withdrew, choosing to play one last season of college basketball.
The 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks last season, shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three.
For his career he's averaged 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, shooting 35.6 percent from three. But his shooting from the perimeter has improved in each of his four seasons, and while the huge jump he took in 2021-22 may not be sustainable, he'll still be expected to hover around the 40 percent mark.
At 6'10" and 225 pounds, Nance should fit into the team's current starting lineup seamlessly, fitting into a similar stretch-4 role that the departing Brady Manek handled last season.
The Tar Heels return their other four starters—Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, R.J. Davis and Leaky Black—to a team that lost to the Kansas Jayhawks in the national championship game last season. They are also bringing in the 15th-ranked recruiting class in 2022, per 247Sports.com's composite rankings, highlighted by a trio of 4-star players in point guard Seth Trimble, center Jalen Washington and power forward Tyler Nickel.
A number of college basketball analysts believe the Tar Heels should open the season as the top-ranked team in the country, including ESPN's Jeff Borzello, College Hoops Today's Jon Rothstein and Stadium's Jeff Goodman.
Ademola Okulaja, Member of 2 Final Four Teams with UNC, Dies at Age 46
May 17, 2022
13 Feb 1999: Ademola Okulaja #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dribbles the ball during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at the Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland. The Terrapins defeated the Tar Heels 81-64.
Former North Carolina Tar Heels forward Ademola Okulaja has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 46.
Okulaja played for the Tar Heels from 1995-96 to 1998-99, helping lead the team to two Final Four appearances in that span.
Carolina Basketball is saddened to learn of the recent, premature passing of Tar Heel forward Ademola Okulaja (1995-99) at age 46.
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) May 17, 2022
One of Okulaja's former teammates, Shammond Williams, told C.L. Brown of the News & Observer that he was an "outstanding person" and "a selfless individual who sacrificed his game for the greater good of the team."
In his four seasons at UNC, Okulaja averaged 9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 37.4 percent from deep. He eventually became a full-time starter for the Tar Heels, starting all 34 games during the 1998-99 season. He averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game during his senior season and was named to the All-ACC first team.
Okulaja was born in Nigeria and moved with his family to Germany when he was young. He ended up representing Deutschland at two FIBA World Cups and five EuroBasket tournaments.
One of his biggest accomplishments came when he helped lead Germany to a bronze medal at the 2002 FIBA World Cup alongside former Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki.
In addition to playing at the national team level, Okulaja played professionally in the EuroLeague for Alba Berlin, FC Barcelona, Unicaja Malaga, and Brose Bamberg. He also had stints with Liga ACB's Casademont Girona and Etosa Alicante and EuroCup's Khimki and Pamesa Valencia.
He averaged 12.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals in his seven-year professional career overseas.
Okulaja was diagnosed with a spinal tumor in 2008 but returned to basketball after one season on the sidelines before announcing his retirement in 2010.
No. 9 Duke Dominates UNC in Mike Krzyzewski's Final Road Game vs. Rival Tar Heels
Feb 6, 2022
North Carolina guard Caleb Love (2) drives against Duke center Mark Williams (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Mike Krzyzewski was victorious in his final trip to Chapel Hill, as Duke earned a 87-67 win over North Carolina in the latest installment of their legendary rivalry.
The ninth-ranked Blue Devils have now won five games in a row after losing in overtime to Florida State on Jan. 18. The Tar Heels had a four-game winning streak of their own, but a loss to Duke sees UNC fall back to earth. Hubert Davis' squad is now 1-4 against ranked opponents.
Duke was up by 23 points at one point in the first half, but North Carolina clawed back and trailed by 11, 39-28, at halftime.
But four minutes into the second half, the Blue Devils built another 23-point lead. The Tar Heels were basically playing to avoid a blowout as they were outmanned and overmatched.
Notable Performers
AJ Griffin, F, Duke: 27 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal
Paolo Banchero, F, Duke: 13 points, 10 rebounds, two assists
Brady Manek, F, North Carolina: 21 points, six rebounds
Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina: 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block
Griffin Too Much for UNC
Duke's dominance started with AJ Griffin. The 6'6" forward presented matchup problems throughout the night and provided a steady source of offense.
Given the stakes of any encounter between these two programs, Griffin wrote his name into Blue Devils lore on this performance alone.
This was also a great showcase for Griffin's potential at the next level. In his most recent 2022 NBA mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to go sixth overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.
A PTPER player in the eyes of the @NBA scouts that has made the biggest jump from the start to now is AJ GRIFFIN @whoisAG21 of @DukeMBB / also watching BRADY MANEK his range as a shooter makes his stock go up in the eyes of the NBA ppl.
Krzyzewski couldn't have crafted a better sendoff to Dean E. Smith Center. His players were zeroed in from the opening tip—quickly building a 19-5 lead with a little more than five minutes off the clock—and didn't let up much from there.
The Blue Devils relished the opportunity to pile on more misery in the second half.
Paolo Banchero gives the 'you're small' celebration against Leaky Black
Mark Williams gives the 'on your head' celebration on Brady Manek
ESPN's Joe Lunardi projected Duke as a No. 2 seed in the 2022 NCAA tournament, and the team looked every bit the part Saturday.
Manek Can't Do it All for Heels
Brady Manek was the single biggest reason this game wasn't a blowout in the first half.
Armando Bacot battled foul trouble, while Caleb Love was held scoreless. In addition to playing all 20 minutes of the first half, Manek's offensive consistency was critical toward keeping the Heels at least within striking distance.
Manek is 5-of-11, 4-of-7 from three. Everyone else on the team is 5-of-21, 0-of-7
By having to exert so much energy on offense, though, the senior forward might have left himself at a disadvantage on defense. Duke looked to switch Griffin onto Manek with high frequency, and the strategy is a big reason why Griffin was the game's leading scorer.
In general, it was clear early on the Heels wouldn't have much chance at an upset. They can't take down an opponent with as much talent as Duke has when Love is mired in such a brutal shooting funk.
I was really excited about some of the growth we’d seen in terms of poise and ball-screen comfort from Caleb Love early in the season. But he’s been kind of a mess since mid-January. Not counting today, he entered shooting 26% in his last six games, including 21% from 2-pt range.
All things considered, this isn't the most embarrassing loss North Carolina has suffered at the hands of its in-state rival. But it was a sobering display of how much work Davis has ahead.
What's Next?
Duke returns to Durham for a matchup with Virginia on Monday. North Carolina will head south to play Clemson on Tuesday night.
No. 21 Kentucky Routs UNC Behind Sahvir Wheeler's 26 Points in CBS Sports Classic
Dec 19, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 18: Sahvir Wheeler #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats steals the ball from R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena on December 18, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Kentucky rebounded from last week's loss to Notre Dame with a dominant 98-69 victory over North Carolina at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
These teams weren't originally slated to cross paths in Sin City. However, Ohio State and UCLA were forced to back out of their games because of COVID-19-related issues. That set up a rematch between the Tar Heels and 21st-ranked Wildcats almost a year to the day of UNC's 75-63 victory over UK last December.
Kentucky's holdovers from last season's squad seemed to have revenge firmly on their minds. John Calipari's squad jumped out to a 23-8 lead midway through the first half and didn't look back.
Notable Performers
Sahvir Wheeler, G, Kentucky: 26 points, three rebounds, eight assists, four steals
Oscar Tshiebwe, F, Kentucky: 16 points, 12 rebounds, one assist
Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina: 22 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one block
Wheeler Leads the Way for UK
Sahvir Wheeler wasn't even a member of the Wildcats roster, but the junior looked like he was carrying a chip on his shoulder against North Carolina on Saturday. Finishing with three points in the defeat to the Fighting Irish probably had something to do with that.
Wheeler surpassed his scoring average (9.9 points) by halftime after shooting 7-of-10 from the floor and putting up 14 points.
Wow what a fantastic start by @UKCoachCalipari ‘s @KentuckyMBB team vs @UNC_Basketball / this doesn’t look like the team that got beat last week by BD . @sahvir Wheeler has been superb / gr8 bounce back from last game . Lead UNC 29-14
The 5'9" guard was routinely getting into the paint, which spoke to a major advantage Kentucky enjoyed throughout the game. The Wildcats out-rebounded North Carolina 44-26 and scored 54 points in the paint.
The Heels didn't have much answer for Oscar Tshiebwe, who would've put up bigger numbers were it not for his foul trouble in the first half.
His work on the glass helped extend possessions (four offensive rebounds) and deny North Carolina second chances. He also bullied UNC defenders around the basket when he had the ball in his hands.
Good grief. Oscar Tshiebwe just annihilated a guy and crammed it for a 30-point Kentucky lead over Carolina. Oscar has 16 and 12 in 19 minutes. Silly.
Responding to setbacks wasn't something Kentucky did well in 2020-21. The team had losing streaks of six, three, four and two games before falling to Mississippi State in the SEC tournament to bring the campaign to a conclusion. Perhaps the messages from Calipari weren't resonating with his players as much anymore.
This year's Wildcats squad has clearly turned the page on last year.
Bacot's One-Man Show Not Enough for UNC
North Carolina had 29 points in the first half, and Armando Bacot accounted for 17 of them. Caleb Love, who entered as the team's leading scorer (16.2 points), missed all five of his shot attempts and was held scoreless.
The Tar Heels' deficit would've been far bigger than 11 points had it not been for the effort of Bacot.
It’s hard to be optimistic when looking at what Kentucky did and what UNC didn’t do in that first half, but…things got a little better in the last couple of min. Problem is: Bacot can’t do literally everything himself…again. Someone else needs to step up in the 2nd half
UNC entered halftime with some momentum after having shaved six points off what was Kentucky's 17-point lead with 2:14 left in the first half. But two quick buckets from Wheeler and Kellan Grady undid that progress to open the second half, and UK's lead swelled to 18 points inside the first four minutes.
Little went right for the Tar Heels as they were comprehensively beaten on both ends of the court.
That 21-point win over Michigan on Dec. 1 might have been a bit of a mirage.
What's Next?
North Carolina hosts Appalachian State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Kentucky faces in-state rival Louisville on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.
UCLA vs. UNC Men's Basketball in CBS Sports Classic Canceled Because of COVID-19
Dec 17, 2021
UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) celebrates with center Myles Johnson (15) and guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) after scoring during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Colorado in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
UCLA announced Friday that its men's basketball game against North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic scheduled for Saturday has been canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the Bruins program.
UCLA's decision to call off Saturday's game comes on the heels of Ohio State announcing Thursday that its CBS Sports Classic game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas against Kentucky was also canceled because of positive COVID-19 tests within the Buckeyes program.
With neither UCLA nor Ohio State able to play, an adjustment has reportedly been made that will still allow UNC and Kentucky to have a game.
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the plan is now for North Carolina and Kentucky to face each other at 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Norlander noted that UNLV and Northwestern were considered as potential replacement teams before the North Carolina vs. Kentucky game was settled upon.
UCLA's absence means the CBS Sports Classic will be without the highest-ranked team in the field.
The Bruins are off to an 8-1 start this season, with their only loss coming to then-No. 1 Gonzaga. UCLA is ranked No. 4 in the nation coming off a surprise appearance in the Final Four last season.
With guard Johnny Juzang and his 16.6 points per game leading the way, the Bruins would have been favored against a UNC team that is unranked but off to a solid 8-2 start in Hubert Davis' first season as head coach.
Now, UNC will reportedly shift its focus to a Kentucky team that is ranked No. 21 in the nation with a 7-2 record.
North Carolina and Kentucky are two of the most successful programs in college basketball history, as the Tar Heels have won six NCAA tournament championships and the Wildcats have won eight.
For now, UCLA is pausing basketball activities, with its next game scheduled for Wednesday against Cal Poly, although it isn't yet known if that contest will be played.
North Carolina Use Dominant 2nd Half Performance to Rout No. 24 Michigan
Dec 2, 2021
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 01: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after making a three-point basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on December 01, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
North Carolina hasn't quite figured out how to solve its road woes, but staying in Chapel Hill has been a road to success for first-year coach Hubert Davis.
Caleb Love scored 22 points and Dawson Garcia added 14, as the Tar Heels turned in a dominant second-half performance on their way to a 72-51 win over No. 24 Michigan in the 2021 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Ahead by just two at halftime, North Carolina turned up the pressure on both ends and never trailed after the break. The Heels are now 4-0 under Davis at the Dean Smith Center.
Playing its first traditional road game of the season, Michigan could not find an offensive rhythm as it fell to a disappointing 4-3. Moussa Diabate led the way with 13 points and Eli Brooks scored 11.
F Moussa Diabate: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block G Eli Brooks: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Juwan Howard Has Long Road Ahead
Michigan's young rotation looked afraid of the limelight Wednesday night. The Wolverines finished shooting just 35.1 percent from the floor and were embarrassed on both ends of the court in the second half.
Ranked as the No. 3 recruiting class in the country coming into this season, things have not been pretty when Michigan has been tested against good competition. Touted freshman forward Caleb Houstan has been a major disappointment, so much so that Howard should consider moving him to the reserve unit. Diabate played himself into more rotation time with a solid performance, and lineups featuring the two freshman bigs and center Hunter Dickinson have not fared well this season.
Transfer DeVante' Jones has also not packed nearly the scoring punch he did during his career at Coastal Carolina.
It's clear this is somewhat of a foundational year for Howard, with none of the freshmen looking like instant-impact stars. That said, this was a team that was ranked No. 6 in the country coming into this season. The results have to be better than what they've been so far.
Hubert Davis Off to Solid Start
It's fair to say Davis wasn't a particularly inspired choice to replace Roy Williams. A job of North Carolina's caliber opening typically leads to some of the most prominent names in coaching being linked. Davis was a longtime loyal assistant with Carolina ties, now getting the opportunity to prove himself in the main job.
So far, so good on the court.
The coach has spent much of his first seven games tinkering with the rotation in hopes of finding a good mix and may have finally reached the correct formula in the second half. Four of North Carolina's five starters had at least nine points, and Davis gave only seven players significant playing time.
The Heels added only two recruits in their 2021 class, so this is going to be an uphill battle of a season. It just may wind up being one that Davis and his group of veteran leaders make far more interesting than expected.
NIL Rules, Realignment Diminished NCAA's Authority, Former UNC HC Roy Williams Says
Nov 12, 2021
CHAPEL HILL, NC - APRIL 01: Roy Williams, head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina, speaks during his retirement announcement at Dean E. Smith Center on April 1, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeffrey Camarati/Getty Images)
Former North Carolina head men's basketball coach Roy Williams believes recent developments in college sports have led to the NCAA losing power.
According to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, Williams said the following regarding his theory:
It's changing so dramatically. I think the NCAA is just not going to be the same. It's just not. Who knows how it's going to develop? The days of those people in Indianapolis saying, '1, 2, 3 and 4,' and everyone just falls in line ... that's not happening. Some of it's good and some of it's not so good. But they aren't running things anymore. It is a rapidly changing world out there, and who knows what's going to be next.
Williams specifically mentioned name, image and likeness rules, conference realignment and the transfer portals as factors that have diminished the NCAA's authority.
The 71-year-old Williams, who has been inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, especially seemed to take issue with programs jumping ship for other conferences.
In reference to Oklahoma and Texas preparing to move from the Big 12 to the SEC, Williams said: "How about the schools just all of a sudden deciding, 'I think I'll leave this conference and I'll go here?' I'm thinking, 'My gosh. What's happening to college athletics?'"
He also made mention of NIL rules, which now allow college athletes to make money off their names, images and likenesses, as well as the transfer portal, which makes it easier for athletes to leave their schools for new ones.
Williams noted that with the changing landscape in college sports he knew there were "some things that I might not enjoy as much as I had in the past," but clarified that the changes had "nothing to do" with his decision to retire in April.
The three-time national champion said he retired because he "no longer felt that I was the right person for this job."
Williams was replaced by Hubert Davis, who played at North Carolina and in the NCAA before serving as an assistant coach under Williams at UNC from 2012-21.
While Williams' retirement was abrupt and surprising, he accomplished a ton during his time at Kansas and North Carolina, including three championships, nine Final Four appearances and two Associated Press Coach of the Year awards.
North Carolina went just 14-19 in 2019-20 and would have missed the NCAA tournament had it been held, and finished 18-11 last season in a campaign that ended with a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament for the Tar Heels.
UNC is now under new leadership in a new era of college sports, and it will be up to Davis to get the Tar Heels back into national title contention this season and beyond.
5-Star Guard Prospect Simeon Wilcher Commits to North Carolina
Oct 16, 2021
SPRINGFIELD, MA - JANUARY 18: Roselle Catholic Lions guard Simeon Wilcher (14) during the second half of the Spalding Hoophall Classic high school basketball game between the Roselle Catholic Lions and Bishop Gorman Gaels on January 18, 2020 at Blake Arena in Springfield, MA (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Simeon Wilcher, a class of 2023 combo guard out of Roselle Catholic (New Jersey), has committed to play for North Carolina.
Joe Tipton of On3 broke the news:
Breaking: 2023 Top-15 prospect Simeon Wilcher has committed to North Carolina, he tells @On3Recruits.
"The environment, the fans, the coaching staff, the players on the team, the GA's...the entire environment made it feel like a second home," Wilcher told Tipton regarding why he selected UNC.
"There was no need to mess around or beat around the bush because this opportunity doesn’t come for everybody. I wanted to lock it in so now I can be stress-free and go out there and play my game and hoop without any worries about this college stuff anymore."
The 247Sports composite list ranks Wilcher 14th overall on the class of 2023 boys basketball rankings. The 5-star prospect is also third among combo guards and third in New Jersey.
The 6'4", 185-pound guard had 14 offers, including ones from Ohio State, Oregon and Kansas. However, UNC won out over the rest of those programs, giving head coach Hubert Davis a key signing as he begins his tenure leading the Tar Heels' sideline.
Per Tipton, UNC is also looking at class of 2023 recruits Robert Dillingham, Mackenzie Mgbako and GG Jackson among others. All three are in the top 10 of 247Sports' composite rankings.
