Develop and Deliver: Hubert Davis’ Strategy for Improving Players

North Carolina men's basketball head coach Hubert Davis, senior guard Seth Trimble and junior 7-footer Henri Veesaar all made the trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown to participate in the 2025 ACC Tipoff. The Tar Heels feature a ton of new faces on their roster, and so it becomes a question about how Davis and the rest of his staff focus on developing those who decide to play basketball in Chapel Hill.

"Well, I mean, player development, there's a number of things at the top of the list, and player development is one of them. In order for our team to be good, each individual player has to be good. One of the things that I always tell the guys as a coach, filter through comes from two things. One, obviously my personality, and, two, my experience as a player."

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

"One of the things in terms of individual development that we speak about at great length every day is for our guys to be basketball players. I know that sounds simple, but for our guys to check a number of different boxes on both ends of the floor, not one-dimensional. What great example of Seth and Henri, of guys that can get it done on both ends of the floor and do a number of things on the offensive end, whether it's around the basket or obviously outside from three-point range."

"And so those are things that we talk about and things that we individually develop and work on on a daily basis out there on the floor."

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Since the 2021-2022 season began, Davis's first year as the head coach, taking over Roy Williams' spot on the sidelines, players have been granted the opportunity to learn from a former NBA player, one who held a notable three-point shooting percentage of 44.1 percent across 685 games played (149 of them Davis started).

The Tar Heels' playstyle has changed from the traditional two big men frontcourt to dynamic players who can stretch the floor — creating driving lanes for guards — very NBA-esque and fitting with the way basketball is played today.

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Hubert Davis’ Focus To Develop During the 2025-2026 Campaign

Davis brings in three freshmen: Caleb Wilson, Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis, who all come in with a good amount of notoriety to some extent, courtesy of their high school careers — especially Wilson, a future NBA Draft pick.

The former assistant coach will get to work with Luka Bogavac, who played overseas professionally and get him into the groove of collegiate basketball. Kyan Evans, Colorado State transfer and projected point guard in Davis' fifth season, will get to develop under Davis' tutelage as well.

The Tar Heels will be much deeper coming off the bench, an indicator of the kind of work Davis, the staff, and General Manager Jim Tanner did to fulfill a roster that had gaps due to a huge turnover during the offseason.

No more RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Ian Jackson, Ven-Allen Lubin, Jalen Washington, Jae'Lyn Withers, Drake Powell, Cade Tyson, or Ty Claude. North Carolina recovered and it led to perhaps the best roster so far for Davis.

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

The issue with this team? Chemistry. It will be a test for these players, who come from various backgrounds, to gel, both on and off the court. And if it can do that, then UNC could find itself toward the top of the college basketball rankings — the pieces are there, but having a bond will make that much of a difference.

Stakes are high with the Tar Heels being consistently inconsistent the past four seasons. A national championship appearance followed by missing the tournament completely, to making the Sweet 16 and then being the last team into the Field of 68 does not bode well for fans and the program itself.

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

North Carolina will have an exhibition game on October 24 against BYU. The Cougars bring in Rob Wright, Dominique Diomande, Nate Pickens, Tyler Muse and Kennard Davis from the transfer portal, but the standout player for BYU head coach Kevin Young? AJ Dybansta, another future NBA Draft pick. Dybansta and Wilson will go head-to-head in Salt Lake City, Utah, for a must-watch matchup.

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