College Basketball
UNC Basketball Could Fire Hubert Davis After Next Season Following Transfer Portal Losses, Lack of NIL Strategy
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North Carolina basketball coach Hubert Davis has come under fire following another early exit from the NCAA Tournament. Could UNC be forced to fire its basketball coach next season following another string of transfer portal losses and roster mismanagement? Find out why UNC could opt to buyout Davis’ contract after next season if the Tar Heels can’t turn things around in 2025-26.
North Carolina just lost two starters and a key bench contributor to the transfer portal — and this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s becoming a defining pattern of the Hubert Davis era in Chapel Hill.
Once a destination where elite talent came to develop, win, and stay, UNC is now watching highly touted recruits walk out the door before they’ve had a chance to grow. This wave of departures isn’t just unfortunate — it’s alarming. And it’s raising serious questions about player development, NIL strategy, and the direction of the program under Davis.
UNC Basketball Transfer Portal Update
Elliot Cadeau is gone. Jalen Washington is gone. Now, Ian Jackson is in the transfer portal and could be headed to another blue-blood program. That’s three rotation players leaving Chapel Hill — two of them starters. Cadeau was the engine of the offense. Jackson was a five-star freshman and one of the most athletic guards UNC has signed in years. Washington brought size and experience off the bench. Losing one of them would sting. Losing all three should raise alarms.
It’s not the first time this has happened either. Two years ago, Caleb Love left and instantly helped Arizona make a deep run. He was the face of the 2022 national title game run. And instead of building around him, UNC watched him walk. Since then, it’s been a cycle of turnover, with top-100 players leaving early or transferring before reaching their potential.
Most recently, forward Cade Tyson, who was a highly sought after transfer in last year’s portal has also opted to switch teams after failing to make an impact under Davis.
What Is UNC Basketball’s NIL Strategy?
UNC hasn’t kept up with the top programs in NIL. That’s becoming obvious. Yes, RJ Davis signed plenty of deals — he’s marketable and experienced. But the system around him doesn’t seem to be strong enough to keep younger players from looking elsewhere. Duke, for example, runs a quieter but more structured NIL collective and is locking in top-tier talent without losing them a year later. Carolina isn’t.
It’s about showing players there’s a long-term plan for them — on and off the court. Right now, players are coming to UNC, spending a season or two in a crowded rotation, and leaving before they develop. That’s a development problem, a trust problem, and increasingly, a money problem.
UNC Roster Turnover Concerns
There are already questions about Hubert Davis’s coaching ability with many fans calling for him to be fired after failing to meet expectations over the past few seasons.
He keeps signing elite talent. but signing talent isn’t the same as building a team. You need guys who want to stay. Who believe in the system. That’s not happening.
If Davis can’t stop the bleeding, UNC risks falling into a cycle where it’s always reloading, never developing, and constantly asking, “What if?”
The Pressure Is On For Hubert Davis At UNC
The clock is ticking and everyone in Tar Heel nation knows it.
Fans have already grown frustrated with the Tar Heels’ inconsistency under its head coach, raising serious questions about his job security. After next season, UNC basketball can buy out Hubert Davis’ contract for a manageable $800,000, which should put considerable pressure on both sides to turn things around quickly.
The expectations at UNC are sky-high, and fair or not, simply making the tournament isn’t enough in Chapel Hill. With blue-blood pedigree and a rabid fanbase accustomed to Final Fours and national titles, patience is wearing thin.
Since losing in the 2021-22 national championship game in his first year as head coach, North Carolina hasn’t made it past the Sweet 16 under Davis. The Tar Heels missed the March Madness tournament entirely in 2022-23 and suffered an early first-round exit this past season.
If Davis can’t get the most out of his roster next season, it could be his final opportunity to prove he’s the long-term answer in the post-Roy Williams era.
