Hubert Davis’s management of North Carolina’s offseason has been constantly in the spotlight since the team failed to meet expectations in the 2024-25 season. Fan and media scrutiny has intensified since the release of a report that puts the team’s budget for next season at $14 million.
This places the Tar Heels among the most expensive rosters in NCAA basketball.
Josh Graham: UNC Spending Doesn’t Match On-Court Product
Most people do not see a match between that huge amount and the quality of the players currently on UNC’s roster.
This is precisely the opinion of college sports analyst Josh Graham, host of the popular YouTube show ‘The Drive’. According to Graham, the Tar Heels’ roster should be much better than it currently is.
“This isn’t a top five or a top 10 roster, and it should be,” he said, “[It is] Better than last year where they didn’t meet the standard, they are better than that, but given what they’re spending, reportedly, this roster should be better than this, full stop.”
Graham also believes that Davis needs to support his player recruitment with good results, and that his job should depend on it:
“[We] can’t defend having this type of a budget and this being your roster,” he said. “What does Hubert Davis need to do in order to meet expectations? Carolina needs to be a top 25 team for most of the season, and you need to get to the Sweet 16. If you do neither of those things, you’re done, full stop.”
This is certainly not the first time that Hubert Davis has faced skepticism about his performance as UNC’s head coach, as he has experienced both exhilarating highs and frustrating lows.
A former UNC player and longtime assistant, Davis inherited a talented but inconsistent roster and quickly made his mark by leading the Tar Heels to the 2022 NCAA Championship game in his first season. That Cinderella run, fueled by a veteran core including Brady Manek, Armando Bacot, and Caleb Love, showcased Davis’s ability to rally his team, particularly in a dramatic Final Four win over Duke.
However, Davis’s early success was followed by a disastrous 2022-23 season, where UNC became the first preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament entirely. Plagued by poor shooting, defensive lapses, and a lack of cohesion, the Tar Heels stumbled to a 20-13 record, raising questions about Davis’s adaptability and roster management.
The 2023-24 season brought moderate improvement (29-8, ACC Regular-Season Champions, Sweet 16). While Davis has proven he can recruit (landing five-star Elliot Cadeau) and develop talent (RJ Davis’s All-American rise), his inability to sustain consistency and close tight games remains a concern.
Concerns about the consistency of the results worsened in 2024–2025 when the Tar Heels fell far short of their previous year’s achievements. They finished tied for third during the conference’s regular season, lost in the ACC Tournament semifinals, and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
KEEP READING: RJ Davis and Armando Bacot’s ACC Honors Linked To Question Marks Over Hubert Davis’ Recruitment
Davis’s tenure has been a rollercoaster—moments of brilliance mixed with puzzling setbacks. The pressure is on to prove he can restore UNC to title contention.
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