UNC May Face Huge Coaching Shift if Davis Departs

If UNC moves on from Hubert Davis, the decision won’t just be about one coach.

North Carolina Head Coach Hubert Davis instructs his team during the Indiana versus North Carolina men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. Iu Nc 1h Hubert Davis | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

North Carolina basketball has a reputation for always “keeping it in the family,” and that rule holds true for head coaches. 

Whether or not Hubert Davis remains the head coach for the Tar Heels is still to be determined. If the two sides do indeed part ways, one may expect the university to look inward for its next coach, at least at first. 

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The issue is that keeping it in the family greatly limits the talent pool Carolina can draw from, which usually results in hiring reaches when filling staff positions. Some would say that is exactly what happened when Carolina hired Hubert Davis, implying that he was not the “best man for the job” but rather the best of the applicable coaches already on staff. 

This leads us to look at who could be a potential hire if Carolina did elect to stay within the coaching tree. 

Marcus Paige

Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA;North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) drives to the basket against Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) in the second half in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Shockingly, this has been a name floating around for some time. Marcus Paige, the former three-time captain for Carolina basketball, has been a coaching assistant for the past three seasons under Hubert Davis. 

Paige was a great Tar Heel and a phenomenal player, leading Carolina to a national championship appearance in 2016. The problem is that he has no prior head coaching experience, very limited overall coaching experience, and a move into a position as highly touted as UNC’s head coach that doesn’t exactly seem like the smartest move.

Sean May

Apr 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels assistant coach Sean May (left) and director of player and team development Jackie Manuel (right) play with a ball during a practice session before the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Another highly successful Tar Heel, May just concluded his fifth season with the team as an assistant coach and his eleventh as a staff member for Carolina. May served as the director of basketball operations for four seasons under legendary coach Roy Williams and helped the Tar Heels advance to consecutive national championship appearances and win the national title in 2017.

While he may have more experience overall than Marcus Paige, his resume still doesn’t stack up to many of the options the Tar Heels could find outside of the family

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

If Hubert Davis does not return for next season, Carolina should start its search on the outside. The candidates are just far more qualified, experienced, and would bring a change that is seemingly needed in Chapel Hill. 

With the changing landscape of college sports, it’s becoming increasingly clear that North Carolina must adapt and lean away from some of their traditions if it wants to build a successful future.