How much criticism should Hubert Davis get for his tenure at UNC so far?

Thursday night UNC’s run in the NCAA tournament ended with a 89-87 loss to Alabama. It was a disappointing finish to a season that saw the Heels go 29-8. After the loss, this was fired off by USA Today’s Dan Wolken.

Truly a terrible performance by UNC – win or lose. Hubert isn’t good, which we already knew. But this is beyond the pale.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 29, 2024

It was the first of several reactions that went after Hubert Davis and his tenure at UNC.

Was it fair? Was it too much?

Friday night wasn’t Davis’s best night. Nate Oates of Alabama got the better of Davis in their Sweet 16 game. Oates relentlessly switch defenders on RJ Davis forcing him into 0-9 shooting from 3. Davis never came up with anything to counter that. Many fans thought Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble should have been on the floor more during the game.

That said we’re looking at a three-year body of work.

Davis is 78-31 (72%) and 43-17 (72%) in ACC play. He has a Final  4 in 2022, missed the NCAA tournament in a hugely disappointing year, and made the Sweet 16 this year. There are no ACC tournament titles, though UNC finished first in the ACC this past regular season.

I think last season was a terrible job of coaching from Davis. A pre-season #1 team that missed the tournament. That said the year before UNC was 3 points from the national title. This season was probably the true measure of where UNC is as a program. They’ll finish in the top 15 with a strong roster, but was it one filled with future NBA stars? It couldn’t match the talent of UConn of the dominance of a player like Purdue’s Zach Edey.

Davis hasn’t been perfect, but calling him simply not good seems to be a reach.

For context, Roy Williams coached 15 years and fellow blue-blood Kansas without winning a title. Dean Smith went 20 before he won a title. Basketball standards are different at North Carolina, but it’s a little early to pass judgment on Davis as a coach.

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