Although he chose the path of simplicity, the brevity of his presentation does not reflect the difficulty in reaching his decision.
The guard stepped away from basketball after the sharpshooter Davis went 4-for-20 and 0-9 from behind the basket in an 89-87 loss to Alabama in the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament. He was staring at his thoughts and feelings about the game. Then he thought about his future. For a month.
UNC fifth-year guard RJ Davis, 4, plays defense on Thursday, March 28, at Crypto.com Arena during the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 game against Alabama. UNC lost 89-87.
He dreams of playing in the NBA. After a historic senior year, Davis submitted his name for feedback on his draft stock. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, he still had an extra year of eligibility to enter the university.
“If someone says it’s not stress, they’re lying because it’s stress. My thoughts change every day,” Davis said in a video blog posted to her YouTube channel on May 1. Ta.
He sought advice from head coach Hubert Davis, former players Armando Bacot, Theo Pinson and Joel Berry II, as well as former UNC coach Roy Williams. Everyone said they couldn’t make decisions for him. He had to choose what was best for him. But they will support him no matter what.
At the end of the day, Davis said there’s more he wants to accomplish at North Carolina.
He is still aiming to win the national championship.
He’s 784 points away from Tyler Hansbrough’s 2,872 point mark (he would have to average 24.5 points per game in the regular season alone), but he’s putting pressure on himself to reach the all-time scoring record. It’s not that I’m doing it.
That doesn’t mean Davis isn’t looking to score as many points as possible. After all, he said, scoring is his strength. Davis said he would cry tears of joy if he happened to set a record in the process.
Beyond the wins and accolades, he wants to continue to inspire the kids who attend the game. He wants his teammates to remember him not just as a player, but as a leader. He wants to make sure those relationships last.
“This was a very difficult decision because I wanted to follow my dreams and achieve them, but it’s a bigger purpose for me,” Davis said.
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Hubert Davis said RJ Davis was never a “loud, loud type of personality.” He has always led by example. Now in his final year, the graduate guard wants to take steps to be more vocal in practices and games.
At an open practice in October, Davis was the only player whose voice could be heard echoing around the nearly empty Smith Center, along with Hubert Davis’ exclamation. The veteran guard yelled words of encouragement during fast-break drills, occasionally yelling “Live ball!” As a reminder to pick up the pace.
Hubert Davis gave him the authority to call a timeout at any time during practice. When the team stagnates, it is the fifth graders who lead the team to reorganize it.
First-year forward James Brown vividly remembers a September practice. They lacked energy and had sloppy turnovers. Davis pulled his team aside and told the group that a lack of energy was unacceptable. The Tar Heels didn’t have to have those discussions anymore.
And beyond actual leadership, Hubert Davis named the graduate guard the team’s connector.
“As a fifth-year senior, it could be really easy to say, (forward Drake Powell), (guard Ian Jackson), (forward James Brown) are freshmen, I’m going to go there. No,” the head coach said. . “No, he’s with them. He’s taking them to breakfast. He’s taking them to lunch.”
It’s simple. He’s back because there’s more work to be done. Further proof is required. More records need to be broken. I would like to add another accolade to his resume. More was needed to cement the tradition he wanted.
“The way he carries himself, the way he carries himself in the classroom, the way he works out, the way he practices, everything is just a pro,” senior guard Elijah Davis said. “The fact that he’s not in the NBA right now is not right. He’s the best player in college basketball. He’s proven that time and time again. This is just a year for him to prove that. ”
@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com
