How Hubert Davis Feels Toward General Manager Jim Tanner

The addition of General Manager Jim Tanner provides another layer to the UNC men's basketball program. Head Coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels are entering the 2025-26 season with much-needed support in an ever-changing college basketball landscape, one filled with numerous NIL deals to be distributed.

Last season, UNC suffered a 23-14 overall record, going 13-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. North Carolina reached the NCAAT as an 11-seed, eventually beating San Diego State in the First Four contest, but then was outmatched by Ole Miss in the Round of 64.

Davis spoke to the media on Tuesday, September 2, for the first time ahead of the upcoming season. The UNC-Chapel Hill alum shared his thoughts and feelings about working with GM Tanner.

"Yeah. I mean, you know, as I said in regards to the transfer portal, the two boxes that need to be checked is a want and a need," said Davis. "Obviously, Jim is a part of our team and a part of our program, and I'm really thankful that he's here. We were friends. Prior to him becoming the general manager, we worked extremely well together."

"There's a number of great things about him, but his burning desire, because just like all of us as coaches, have gone here to Carolina," Davis added. "He just has a burning desire for this program and this university to be successful, and so we work extremely well together. And just like all of us on the staff want us to be successful."

The Tar Heels bring in six players from the transfer portal: Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac, Henri Veesaar, Jonathan Powell, Jarin Stevenson and Ivan Matlekovic — filling in the massive turnover UNC experienced over the offseason.

"Well, I mean, our entire staff being able to navigate the changes in college basketball," said UNC's head coach. "I think you know, as I said before, we all really work well together in terms of evaluation. It's as simple as a want and a need, and those are the things that we evaluate, whether it's in the transfer portal, from high school, [I] talked about internationally. In terms of the makeup of the team, those are things that we've done in the past, and those are things that we continue to do."

Prior to taking over as the general manager, Tanner did work as an agent, helping players with contracts and all things business related within the sport.

"I think, you know, he brings something to the table," said Davis. "For 27 years he was an agent. So, this is someone, and he's a lawyer, so that someone that obviously has connections with, you know, a number of different other agencies. His connections to the NBA, he's someone that can write and read and understand contracts. And so those are things that [are] a skillset that is a huge benefit for us, and as I said before, it has worked really well, and I've enjoyed and loved him being a part of this team."

General Manager Jim Tanner and Money

Other than football, the men's basketball team is involved with revenue sharing a great amount, gaining a ton of support from the university to help succeed on the parquet.

"I'm a basketball coach," said Davis. "And in regards to NIL and revenue share, I will say this, that you know, our program has gotten, I'm really thankful we've gotten tremendous support from Bubba (Cunningham) from athletic department, tremendous support from the university, and also great support from our donors, and so I'm just really thankful for that."

Hubert's role and Jim's Role. However, during the press conference, Davis explicitly lays out the difference between his role and Tanner's, expressing how each of them has their own unique skill sets, amongst many others who help throughout inside the system.

"I'm not going to go into detail in regards to… This is what we do on a daily basis," Davis added. "I think all of our staff complement each other in regards to what we bring to the table. We, you know, we're all different people. We all have different gifts and talents. We all have different personalities, and all work really well together."

"I think the end goal is, you know, for all of us, is a love and appreciation for this program, for this university, and for us to be the best that we can be," Davis stated. "And so, however that process, you know, that's something that's really important to us, and all of us as a staff work really well together. And I love coming to work every day."

The North Carolina Tar Heels are growing in terms of their front office, but the question remains of whether or not they can reach the kind of accomplishments as seen in the past — just take a look at the history. Davis' inconsistencies as the head coach have led to his seat becoming warmer and warmer, from making the national championship to even missing the NCAAT entirely.

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