So far, so good for the Hubert Davis era in Chapel Hill. Though things got off to a very rocky start, even extending well into the ACC schedule with bad losses to Wake Forest and struggling Pittsburgh, a complete 180 has occurred. There were even times I doubted Hubert Davis’ ability to head coach the program. But since taking the helm from the legendary Roy Williams, Davis led the Tar Heels to a national championship game and continues the hot streak with a big-time recruiting grab last week.

It's no secret that UNC has been struggling recruiting the top-tier talent for a while now. Not that they haven’t been getting good players, but they are the type of players that need development. Some just a year or two, and some perhaps three years. The very top recruits in the nation, for whatever reason, have decided against UNC in favor of other schools, particularly rival Duke and Kentucky. But with landing the #1 overall prospect (according to Rivals.com) last week in GG Jackson, the Tar Heels currently have two of the top ten overall prospects in the class of 2023, which is very exciting.

After the big, out-of-nowhere run to the national championship game this April, along with the number one overall prospect committed, suddenly UNC is a very attractive program for the top talent in the nation. And not just high school talent, but college players who are interested in transferring. With guard Kerwin Walton deciding to transfer from UNC yesterday, after declining playing time this season, it opens up a scholarship spot for another transfer to come in. We can only hope that whoever they use it on will provide the kind of contributions Brady Manek did this year (after transferring in and using his 5th year of eligibility), but with the recent success of the program on and off the court, that spot will garner a lot of attention from top players all around the country.

UNC already appears to be focused on making another national championship run, and perhaps redeeming themselves in it, with all of their players (minus Walton and Anthony Harris—neither of whom contributed much this season—and Brady Manek) deciding to come back. For Tar Heel fans, the upcoming season should be a very exciting one. Barring any injuries, it should be a fun ride for Carolina basketball next season. But the most exciting thing is, the future looks very bright beyond this season as well. So far, so good for the Hubert Davis era in Chapel Hill.

Garett

The Hubert Davis Era for UNC Basketball Continues to Shine Bright