Davis Reflects on Recent Trends in Tar Heels' Backcourt

After losing three of their last four games, the North Carolina Tar Heels bounced back last week with two straight games against Notre Dame and Virginia. A major reason for the team's success during this recent stretch has been a product of Tar Heels' head coach Hubert Davis adjusting his starting lineup.

One of the changes that Davis made was benching Kyan Evans for Derek Dixon, which has turned out to be the right decision by the 55-year-old head coach. In the three games as a starter Dixon has averaged 12 points per outing.

While speaking with the media on Friday during his pre-Georgia Tech press conference, Davis spoke on Dixon's strong performances while addressing Evans' struggles.

Davis' Thoughts

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) brings the ball up court against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

“I will say that Derek, and it goes in line with he’s a very confident player and person, and his poise out there on the floor, whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, has been real," Davis said. "It’s been evident, been consistent all throughout the year. I’ve been really proud of his approach, specifically over the last three games, and he’s done a nice job taking care of the basketball.”

“He’s confident, being able, from an offensive standpoint, to be able to make plays," Davis continued. "And as I mentioned before, his leadership qualities in regard to speaking up and being more vocal are something that I’ve noticed over the last three weeks, and it just continues to grow.”

Meanwhile, Evans has been demoted to a bench role, and continued to struggle offensively, but Davis has continued to instill confidence in the Colorado State transfer.

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) dribbles against California Golden Bears guard Semetri (TT) Carr (left) during the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“My conversations with him, every player go through a stretch at times where they’re trying to find the rhythm," Davis said. "I talked about fighting to get that rhythm. For me as a player, one of the things that I shared with him was to always take it off of making a shot. I wanted to take my focus off of that and try to find many other ways to try to impact and help the team, whether it’s a loose ball, box out, talking on defense, being encouraging in the huddle, anything that can uplift my teammates and help our team, put them in a position to be able to be successful.”

“When you do that, and you take your eyes off of quote, unquote, ‘a free throw or a shot’, that allows you to focus on all parts of the game, and eventually your shot starts to go in," Davis continued. "And Kyan is an established, accomplished player in college."

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