As predicted by many, Hubert Davis was fired by North Carolina after another dismal exit in the NCAA Tournament.
The No. 6 Tar Heels were upset by No. 11 VCU in overtime in the first round, putting Davis' job in peril. Fans lambasted Davis for UNC's early elimination and urged the program to fire him.
The axe went down on Tuesday, with North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham stressing that they “must move forward” to “compete more consistently at an elite level,” according to a report from USA Today's Jordan Mendoza. Cunningham also thanked Davis for the “special memories” and his “tremendous character.”
Before he was fired, the 55-year-old Davis was defended by guard Seth Trimble and center Henri Veesaar amid the fans' outrage. Now, it's forward Caleb Wilson's turn to express his gratitude to Davis.
“Thank you for everything, Coach Davis. One of the best men and coaches in my life,” wrote Wilson on X.
The freshman forward was not able to suit up in the NCAA Tournament after suffering a season-ending thumb injury during practice in February. At the time of the unfortunate setback, Wilson was leading the Tar Heels in scoring, rebounds, steals, and blocks.
Wilson's absence was a big blow to Davis' strategy, and the latter struggled to adjust. North Carolina was booted out in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Davis tallied a 125–54 record in his five years at North Carolina. He steered the program to four appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including advancing to the national title game in 2022.
Wilson is expected to enter this year's NBA draft, where he is projected to be a top-five pick.
