Who's next at UNC? Potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis, their priorities

Who's next at UNC? Potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis, their priorities

-->

Skip to main content Skip to navigation

< >

Who's next at UNC? Potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis, their prioritiesNorth Carolina Tar Heels1hJeff BorzelloUNC fires coach Davis after early tourney exitNorth Carolina Tar Heels2hPete Thamel and Jeff BorzelloFlorida hoping to ink Golden to third extensionFlorida Gators7hSyracuse brings back McNamara as next coachSyracuse Orange14hArkansas' Acuff lands historic Reebok shoe dealArkansas Razorbacks13hShams CharaniaShelstad to transfer after 3-year stint with DucksOregon Ducks5hJeff BorzelloSaint Mary's F Murauskas says he'll enter portalSaint Mary's Gaels5hJeff BorzelloOle Miss plans institute to study gambling riskOle Miss Rebels11hHurley asks rival fans to join forces in Sweet 16UConn Huskies11h'They think they Arkansas alum now': Haliburton trolls Kentucky NBA alums after Iowa State winIndiana Pacers2dAnthony GharibMen's March Madness Pain Index: Whose tournament loss hurt most?Duke Blue Devils16hKevin PulsiferWhat's next for Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, UNC: Recruits, transfer portal, moreFlorida Gators14hJeff Borzello and Myron MedcalfMen's March Madness 2026: Ranking the remaining 16 teamsDuke Blue Devils2dMyron MedcalfMen's Sweet 16 preview: Keys to every team advancing in the NCAA tournamentTexas Longhorns1dJeff Borzello and Myron MedcalfNBA draft stock watch: Latest buzz, scouting reports on 21 top prospectsSanta Clara Broncos16hJeremy Woo'They think they Arkansas alum now': Haliburton trolls Kentucky NBA alums after Iowa State winIndiana Pacers2dAnthony Gharib'Nice hobby to have': Kentucky's Jayden Quaintance uses manga comics to fuel recovery in March MadnessKentucky Wildcats3dBen BabyMen's tournament: Houston title odds improve as Florida falls, Arizona back on topDuke Blue Devils12hDoug GreenbergMen's tournament first bets: Picks to make now for the next two rounds2dESPNRanking the top 50 men's college basketball players who could define March MadnessDuke Blue Devils7dJeff Borzello and Myron MedcalfBoozer, Dybantsa, Peterson, Wagler: Coaches break down freshmen built for MarchDuke Blue Devils6dJason JordanplayWhy SVP understands UNC's decision to move on from Hubert Davis (1:25)Scott Van Pelt reacts to North Carolina's decision to part ways with Hubert Davis. (1:25)

Hubert Davis is out at North Carolina, just five days after the Tar Heels' catastrophic collapse against VCU. After entering the season on the hot seat, a signature win against Duke in February and a 24-8 record seemed to have kept Davis safe from dismissal after entering the NCAA tournament as a 6-seed.

Especially given the season-ending injury to star forward Caleb Wilson, all signs pointed to Davis returning to Chapel Hill regardless of what happened in March. Then the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead to 11-seed VCU in the second half of their first-round game, with Davis mismanaging down the stretch of regulation.

Davis' head coaching tenure at Carolina comes to an end after five seasons, a stretch that included a national championship game appearance in 2022 and an ACC regular-season championship in 2024.

So what's next in Chapel Hill?

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

When Roy Williams retired in 2021, the job was perceived to be among the best in the entire sport. After an up-and-down half decade, the question is whether that's still the case. Industry sources still consider Carolina to be the same elite, blue-blood destination it was when Davis took the helm in 2021.

"I think there's plenty of money if they want," one source told ESPN. "The history, the tradition, the facilities. No doubt it's still [at the top]. It's North Carolina."

"It's still Carolina, man," another said. "It's the brand."

The position comes with challenges this time, though. Longtime athletic director Bubba Cunningham is leaving his post this summer and will be succeeded by former NASCAR executive Steve Newmark. The department also faces the question of whether to renovate the Dean Smith Center or move the basketball team elsewhere. And with Bill Belichick in town, the football program is getting its fair share of resources -- and attention.

Let's take a look at which candidates could be on the radar, plus what they would be inheriting.

When Williams retired, North Carolina opted to keep it in the family, promoting Davis to the top job after nine seasons on Williams' staff. Davis, of course, also played for the program under Dean Smith from 1988 to 1992. It's unlikely the school will select another former Tar Heel this time.

Expect Carolina to take some massive swings.

Billy Donovan is expected to be at or near the top of the list. The Chicago Bulls head coach hasn't coached at the college level since 2015, spending the past 11 years with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2015-20) and Bulls (since 2020). He has rejected opportunities to return to college before, but he could be more open to the idea now that the Bulls are going to miss the playoffs. He led Florida to two national championships (2006 and 2007) and took the Gators to two additional Final Fours (2000 and 2014). One complicating issue with Donovan would be timing; the Bulls' last game is April 12.

Brad Stevens also wouldn't be a surprising target. The Boston Celtics president of operations hasn't coached at the college level since 2013, or in any capacity since 2021. But he led Butler to back-to-back national title game appearances in 2010 and 2011, then made seven trips to the NBA playoffs at the helm of the Celtics before transitioning into the front office in 2021.

Industry insiders also believe the best of the best in the college ranks are likely on the short list: Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, Michigan's Dusty May, Iowa State's TJ. Otzelberger, Florida's Todd Golden and Alabama's Nate Oats. Texas Tech's Grant McCasland could also be in the conversation. The Tar Heels could even gauge interest from UConn's Dan Hurley, like Kentucky (and the Lakers) did a couple of years ago.

A few of those coaches come with massive buyouts: Lloyd's would be between $9 million and $12 million, depending on timing; Golden's would cost $16 million; and Oats' would cost $18 million until April 1, when it drops to $10 million. McCasland's buyout is just north of $10 million as well. May and Otzelberger have smaller buyouts, with May's believed to be around $7 million and Otzelberger's around $4 million.

No. 9 Dylan Mingo No. 21 Maximo Adams NR Malloy Smith

North Carolina has a top-10 recruiting class, headlined by a pair of top-25 recruits: Mingo and Adams. Mingo gave Davis a top-15 recruit for the fourth straight recruiting class, and he is one of the class's elite backcourt players when healthy. Mingo's recruitment didn't end until February, with the Tar Heels ultimately beating out Baylor for his commitment. Could he rethink his decision? It's worth noting that his brother, Kayden Mingo, was one of the best freshman guards in the Big Ten at Penn State this season.

Adams surged as a breakout player last spring and summer, rising all the way into the top 25 of the rankings. He also considered Michigan State, Kentucky and Texas before picking Carolina. His brother, Marcus Adams Jr., recently announced he planned to enter the transfer portal following the firing of Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley.

Henri Veesaar Jarin Stevenson Derek Dixon

Keeping Veesaar in Chapel Hill was at the top of Davis' priority list entering the offseason, and the second-team All-ACC selection will undoubtedly be the focus of whichever coach replaces Davis. Veesaar was terrific after transferring from Arizona, averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds before ending the season with a 26-point, 10-rebound performance against VCU. He was a projected second-round pick in ESPN's most recent NBA mock draft and would likely have lucrative offers from elsewhere if he opts to reenter the transfer portal when it opens April 7.

Stevenson became a real factor for Carolina down the stretch of the season, especially following Wilson's injury, averaging 10.7 points and 6.4 boards per game over his final 10 games. He should also be a priority for the new coach, second to Veesaar.

On the perimeter, expect Dixon to be a focus, regardless of what Mingo opts to do with his commitment. Dixon showed plenty of promise as a freshman, especially late in the season: 17 points vs. Duke, 16 points vs. Clemson, 11 points and six assists vs. VCU.

Other potential returnees include Luka Bogavac, Jonathan Powell and Jaydon Young.