Hubert Davis Makes Major Announcement After UNC's Deflating Loss to Duke
The first edition of this year's North Carolina-Duke rivalry series ended in a lopsided loss for the Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The home-team Blue Devils put together a dominant wire-to-wire victory over Hubert Davis' UNC squad, finishing the game with a 70-87 final score.
The Tar Heels have fallen well short of expectations throughout the 2024-25 college basketball season so far. With Saturday night's blowout loss, North Carolina is now 13-10 on the year.
This lackluster start has resulted in fervent calls for action from the UNC fanbase.
On Monday night, Davis promised some major institutional changes to keep up with the rapidly-shifting landscape of college athletics.
The fourth-year North Carolina head coach said the university plans to hire a general manager for the basketball program, just as the school did for Bill Belichick and the football program earlier this year.
"We’re going to hire a GM," Davis said during the “Hubert Davis Live” radio show on Monday.
— Keeping It Heel (@KeepingItHeel) February 4, 2025“We are going to hire a GM.”
Hubert Davis confirmed on Monday night that the UNC basketball program plans to expand its staff this offseason, including hiring a general manager.https://t.co/PYPf2wcE4R
Davis said he also hopes to hire a director of marketing and fundraising for NIL, a video coordinator, a recruiting coordinator and a graphics coordinator.
“The old model for Carolina basketball just doesn’t work,” Davis said. “It’s not sustainable. It has to build out because there’s so many things in play with NIL, the transfer portal, agents, international players. You just need a bigger staff to be able to maintain things. And you need a bigger staff so I can do what I’m supposed to be doing — coaching basketball.”
The college basketball landscape has shifted drastically since Davis took over as the Tar Heels' head coach in 2021. Utilization of NIL and the transfer portal is now more important than ever when it comes to producing results.
Duke hired its first general manager, Rachel Baker, in 2022.
“I never would have thought four years [ago] when I took the job that 100% what is needed is a general manager,” Davis continued. “There’s just so much stuff out there, and I mention owner, GM, fund-raiser, basketball coach. It’s so much on the plate that will take you away from doing what’s the most important thing — coaching basketball."
North Carolina will look to get back on track in a matchup against the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday afternoon.
