Who Is the Top Candidate To Replace Roy Williams in North Carolina?

Published 04/04/2021, 4:00 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Roy Williams is one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history. His stints with the Kansas Jayhawks and the UNC Tar Heels were both amazing runs. He solidified his place in history when he won the 2017 NCAA Title with the Tar Heels, but he has called it a career after this season.

When a legend leaves, the hardest part about it is having to replace him. That is the dilemma that the Tar Heels find themselves in. But NCAA Analyst Jay Bilas believes there are a few obvious options to replace Williams.

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“North Carolina, Duke, Indiana, all these places that have what you call ‘families’ need to look within the family first. There’s a constituency in North Carolina that expects that, and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s not a no-brainer this time.”

He named the top choices to replace Williams, “If you’re gonna look in the family, there are two names that stand out. Hubert Davis and Wes Miller. Those are two great options. I don’t know what Bubba Cunningham is going to do, I know that he will be consulting everyone within the family to get the decision.”

Roy Williams: Is Hubert Davis the right replacement?

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USA Today via Reuters

It seems that Hubert Davis is most likely going to be replacing Roy Williams. Davis is the man that has been Williams’assistant for the last 9 years, helping the team win the NCAA title in 2017. While he is yet to have any experience as a head coach at this level, there is no better candidate that understands the UNC system.

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While Wes Miller is also an option, Davis may be a better pick. There are also unexpected names in the running like former NCAA Champion Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith. While Smith has a pretty demanding job as an analyst on ‘Ínside the NBA’, he may embark his coaching career with the Tar Heels.

Ultimately, all roads lead back to Davis. He will be able to adapt to the modern needs of NCAA basketball while also maintaining a relationship with the athletic staff and director, Bubba Cunningham.

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Written by:

Ishaan Bhattacharya

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is an NBA, NCAA Basketball, and Combat Sports writer at EssentiallySports. Currently, Ishaan is pursuing a Post Graduate Degree in Journalism from Xavier's Institute of Communication. Previously, Ishaan has written for The Indian Express, The Quint, Sportskeeda, and WrestleClub.
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