BREAKING: UNC Basketball Coach Hubert Davis Announces Shocking Retirement, Effective End of 2024 Season
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In a stunning announcement that has sent seismic waves through the world of college basketball, University of North Carolina head men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis revealed at a hastily-called press conference Tuesday that the upcoming 2024-2025 season will be his last, declaring his intention to retire from coaching.
The news is a profound shock to the Tar Heel faithful and the broader sports community, as the 54-year-old coach, who is entering just his fourth season at the helm of the storied program, appeared to be in the prime of his coaching career. Davis led the Tar Heels to a national championship game appearance in his first season and captured an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season title last year.
Flanked by University Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz and Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, Davis, calm and composed, explained his deeply personal reasons for the decision.
“This isn’t a decision that came lightly, and it has nothing to do with the pressure, the passion, or the profound love I have for this University and these players,” Davis stated, addressing a room packed with stunned reporters. “This program, from Coach Smith to Coach Williams to every player who has ever worn the jersey, has always taught us that basketball is what we do, but it is not who we are. For me, who I am is a husband and a father first.”
Davis cited a desire to not miss any more of his children’s pivotal life moments as the central reason for his retirement. His son, Elijah, is a standout high school basketball player entering his senior year, while his daughter, Gracie, is beginning her college journey.
“I have been blessed beyond measure to have a front-row seat to the growth of young men in this program. But I’ve sat in the back row for too many moments in my own children’s lives,” Davis said, his voice firm but filled with emotion. “I promised my family that when the time was right, I would be there, fully present. That time is now. I intend to be in the stands for every one of Eli’s games, and I intend to help Gracie move into her dorm without a press conference waiting for me afterward. Some things are more important than titles.”
The announcement immediately shifts the narrative for the upcoming season from one of championship aspirations to a “Last Dance” tour for one of the program’s most beloved figures. Davis, a former Tar Heel player under the legendary Dean Smith and a long-time assistant to Roy Williams, is the first coach in UNC history to have both played and served as head coach for the team.
Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, who appeared visibly moved, expressed his full support for Davis’s decision.
“When Hubert Davis talks about family, he’s talking about both his incredible wife and children at home and his extended family here in Chapel Hill,” Cunningham said. “His integrity has never been in question, and this decision, while heartbreaking for us, is a testament to that very character we hired him for. Our focus now is twofold: to fully support Hubert and our incredible team in their pursuit of a national championship this season, and to begin the thoughtful and respectful process of finding his successor.”
The news broke just hours before the press conference, sending social media into a frenzy. #ThankYouHubert began trending nationally on X (formerly Twitter) as former players, rivals, and fans expressed their shock and admiration.
Former UNC star and NBA veteran Theo Pinson posted a video message saying, “Man… just a stand-up dude. Coach Davis lived what he preached. Family over everything. Love you, Coach!”
The timing, while shocking, provides the program with unprecedented clarity heading into a season where they are expected to be a preseason top-five team. With a roster featuring potential National Player of the Year candidate RJ Davis and a stellar incoming recruiting class, the Tar Heels now have a powerful, emotional motivator for the year.
“We’re going to win it all for Coach,” said a visibly determined senior forward Jae’Lyn Withers after the announcement. “He’s always had our back, no matter what. Now it’s our turn to have his. This season is for him.”
The search for a successor will undoubtedly be one of the most scrutinized in college basketball history. The Carolina family has historically favored its own, with Davis succeeding Williams, who succeeded Bill Guthridge, a longtime Smith assistant. Prominent names already being speculated upon include current UNC assistant and former Kansas star Brad Frederick, former Tar Heel player and current NBA coach Jerry Stackhouse, and external candidates like current Auburn coach and former UNC assistant Bruce Pearl.
However, the University leadership was adamant that the focus remain on the upcoming season.
“There will be a time for a search,” Chancellor Guskiewicz said. “But today, and for this entire season, is a time to celebrate and support Hubert Davis and our student-athletes. His legacy is not just one of wins and losses, but of grace, integrity, and unwavering love for this University.”
Hubert Davis’s final season will begin in November, with his final home game scheduled for March at the Dean E. Smith Center, a building whose very namesake preached the family values Davis is now choosing to prioritize. His retirement will mark the end of a direct, decades-long coaching lineage to Dean Smith, a sobering thought for many in Tar Heel Nation.
But as Davis himself concluded, “This isn’t a goodbye. It’s a ‘see you later.’ I’m not leaving the family. I’m just moving to a different seat at the table. Now, let’s go have one last, great season together.”
