North Carolina Tar Heel senior guard R.J Davis was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of The Year on March 11. Davis, who hails from nearby White Plains, New York received 68 out of a possible 75 first place votes. Davis led the Tar Heels to a 25-6 regular season record which resulted in them capturing their first ACC Regular Season Championship since the 2018-2019 season.
This was the first outright league title for North Carolina since 2016-2017. It’s been a long time coming for Davis and his comrades to say the least.
Davis led the ACC in scoring this year with 21.1 points per contest. On Feb. 26, Davis scored a career-high 42 points in a Tar Heels 75-71 victory over the Miami Hurricanes. In 34 minutes of action Davis connected on 14-22 from the field including 7-11 from three. This was arguably the best performance of the season for Davis. The senior guard was virtually unstoppable. The shot chart indicated Davis completing baskets at various spots on the offensive end. This was the highest scoring total in the history of the Smith Center. Miami had no response for Davis on this day.
Davis was named ACC Player of the week on four occasions this season. No other player won the award more than twice which is an indicator of just how dominant Davis was this season. This season, Davis became the 53rd Tar Heel to be named First Team All ACC. Had Davis attended an institution with less bravado, we’d probably be speaking of him breaking every record in school history.
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis was named ACC Coach of the year for his efforts as the Tar Heels lead man. The player coach combination became the first duo to win player and coach of the year at North Carolina since Antawn Jamison and Bill Guthridge accomplished the feat in 1998.
Davis has made his way to the top the old-fashioned way. In an era in which one-and-done dominates the land, Davis has chosen his own route to college basketball supremacy. As a freshman, Davis started 10 of a possible 29 games. He scored 8.4 points per game in 22.3 minutes per contest. Davis’s development into the stud he is today hasn’t in any way been a guarantee. His scoring average steadily increased from 13.5 as a sophomore, 16.1 junior year and 21.3 this season. The work he’s put in during his time at Chapel Hill has aided in him becoming one of the best players in the country as a senior.
Despite the success Davis has had, he still isn’t projected to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. With an extra year of eligibility remaining due to Covid he could opt to stay in school for a fifth year. Another year of maturing could convince an NBA team he’s worth a first-round selection. The summers at North Carolina are famously known for NBA players returning for open run. Davis should use this time to get in as many reps as possible.
Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Phil Ford, Ed Cota, Ty Lawson, Kenny Smith and Raymond Felton are just a few of the numerous players over the years that have achieved great success at North Carolina. Many have gone on to prosper in the NBA and overseas. Jordan is widely considered the greatest to ever play the game. Davis is by no means a candidate for North Carolina’s Mt. Rushmore of greats. However, he’s carved out his own piece of history.
Davis starred at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York. Stepinac was once a pushover in New York’s catholic league is now a perennial power on the basketball scene. Davis’s tenure at the school is a part of the reason for their athletic ascension. Stepinac captured their second consecutive CHSAA AA City Championship this year. Five-Star recruit Boogie Fland is headed to Kentucky in the fall. Fland is expected to compete for a starting role as a freshman.
North Carolina has won six NCAA Championships in school history. With the Tar Heels set to take on Alabama in their Sweet Sixteen matchup this Thursday, Davis has a chance to add to what has already been a spectacular season.
