While debates raged among fans about the security of his position, Hubert Davis, the men’s basketball coach at North Carolina, quietly worked under the terms of a newly inked contract. Last July, Davis and North Carolina reached an agreement on a two-year contract extension, binding him to the Tar Heels until 2030 while also granting him a substantial increase in base salary. Although the extension was formally signed in December, it was only made public on the official athletics website of North Carolina this past Tuesday due to what a source familiar with the situation described as a mere oversight.
The error came to light for North Carolina administrators this week when a media outlet reached out for information on coaches’ salaries. It was then realized that the media outlet was not referencing Davis’s updated contract, prompting the swift correction by posting the updated terms. Per the terms of the newly crafted deal, Davis’s base salary saw a significant boost, escalating from $400,000 annually to $1.25 million per year. Additionally, Davis is set to receive $1.7 million in supplemental income for the current season, with this figure increasing by $100,000 each year for the duration of the contract.
The increase in Davis’s base salary would be crucial should North Carolina opt to terminate his contract without cause prior to its expiration. In such a scenario, the school would be obligated to pay Davis a buyout equal to his base salary multiplied by the remaining years on his extended contract. North Carolina’s decision to extend Davis’s contract came following an impressive 29-win season in 2023-24, during which the Tar Heels clinched the ACC title and secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the team has fallen short of expectations this season, tumbling from the preseason top 10 to the NCAA tournament bubble.
In the event that North Carolina (with a current record of 18-11, 11-6) fails to qualify for the NCAA tournament, it would mark the second time during Davis’s eventful four-year tenure. While Davis led the Tar Heels past archrival Duke to the Final Four in his first season, the team faced the ignominy of being the preseason No. 1 team that missed the tournament in the subsequent season.
Acknowledging the evolving landscape of college basketball with the advent of NIL deals and the transfer portal, Davis had earlier indicated the need to expand the coaching staff to meet these challenges. To that end, North Carolina recently announced the appointment of Jim Tanner, a North Carolina alum and seasoned NBA agent, as the men’s basketball executive director and general manager. Davis expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I am thrilled to welcome Jim to our team and the UNC community. His expertise and experience will be invaluable in navigating contractual matters, the transfer portal, and advancing our program.”
