UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis will not be returning next season after the Tar Heels were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The university announced on Tuesday night that they will be starting a national search for their next coach.
Davis, who led the North Carolina men’s team for five seasons, has been unable to meet expectations in the postseason. Despite being the only ACC coach to win 20 or more games each season, the Tar Heels have struggled in the NCAA tournament under his leadership.
In their most recent game, the sixth-seeded Tar Heels were defeated 82-78 by 11th-seeded VCU. This loss comes after North Carolina was eliminated in the first round of the 2025 tournament by Ole Miss.
Guard Seth Trimble voiced his support for Davis following the recent loss, acknowledging that while the coach may have flaws, he has helped players improve and has demonstrated his ability to win.
However, Davis’ past successes were not enough to secure his position. Despite signing a two-year extension through 2029-30 last year with an average salary of $3.2 million, the university has made the decision to part ways with him.
Although Davis led North Carolina to the NCAA final in his first season as coach in 2022, the team missed the tournament in 2023 and had mixed results in the following years. Davis, 55, who played under Hall-of-Fame coach Dean Smith from 1988 to 1992, had a successful NBA career before transitioning to coaching.
