RJ Davis returns for fifth year to resolve unfinished business

“I'm back.”

At 3 a.m. on May 1, RJ Davis' message to the world was simple, to the point. No drawn-out explanation. Just a highlight video and a two-word caption. 

Reflecting on the Instagram post during a media day in October, he brushed off the conspiracy theories surrounding the reason for the timing. 

Was he on the West Coast? Nope, he was at home in New York. 

So why post at that hour, nearly two months after the end of the season? 

“I posted a little bit late, but I did it on purpose,” he said. “No one can know my next move. That was a way to keep you guys on edge.”

But it's deeper than wanting to be an enigma. Davis returns to UNC as the unanimous preseason ACC Player of the Year with the hopes of cementing his legacy even more at North Carolina. The graduate guard led the team and conference in scoring last season, averaging a career-high 21.2 points per game.

He earned consensus First-Team All-American, was named the 2023 ACC POY and became UNC's first-ever Jerry West Award winner given to the best shooting guard in the nation. He set the all-time scoring record in the Dean E. Smith Center with 42 points against Miami in February. The list of accomplishments from his senior season goes on and on. 

Yet, he said there's still unfinished business.

Although he chose the route of simplicity, the brevity of the announcement post doesn't represent the difficulty leading up to the decision. 

After the 89-87 loss to Alabama in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament last year, in which sharpshooter Davis went 4-for-20 and 0-9 from behind the arc, the guard took time away from basketball. He sat with his thoughts and emotions about the game. Then, he thought about his future. For a month. 

He dreams of playing in the NBA. Following his historic senior year, Davis submitted his name for feedback about his draft stock. But he still had an extra year of college eligibility because of COVID. 

“If anybody tells you that it's not stressful, they're lying to you because this is stressful,” Davis said in a vlog posted to his YouTube channel on May 1. “My mind changes every day.”

He turned to head coach Hubert Davis, former players Armando Bacot, Theo Pinson and Joel Berry II, and even former UNC coach Roy Williams for advice. They all told him no one could make the decision for him. He had to choose what is best for him. But they would support him, no matter what.

Ultimately, Davis said there were more things he wanted to accomplish at North Carolina. 

He still aspires to win a national championship. 

The all-time scoring record isn't something he's pressuring himself to hit, although he is 784 points away — meaning he'd have to average 24.5 points per game in the regular season alone — from hitting Tyler Hansbrough's 2,872 mark. 

That doesn't mean Davis isn't looking to score as much as possible, either. After all, he said, scoring is his forte. Davis said he'll cry tears of joy if he happens to hit the record in the process. 

Beyond the wins and accolades, he wants to continue to inspire kids who attend games. He wants his teammates to remember him, not just as a player, but as a leader. He wants to ensure those relationships last. 

“It was such a hard decision because I wanted to chase my dream and accomplish those, but it's a bigger purpose for me,” Davis said. 

RJ Davis has never been a “rah-rah, loud type of personality,” Hubert Davis said. In the past, he always led by example. Now, in his final year, the graduate guard wants to take steps to be more vocal in practice and games. 

At an open practice in October, Davis was the only player whose voice could be heard echoing alongside Hubert Davis' exclamations around the mostly-empty Smith Center. The veteran guard shouted words of encouragement during a fast break drill, occasionally yelling “Live ball!” as a reminder to increase the pace. 

Hubert Davis granted him the power to call a timeout whenever he wants in practice. When the team slacks off, it's the fifth-year pulling them into a huddle to regroup. 

First-year forward James Brown vividly remembers a practice in September where the energy was lacking and they were giving up sloppy turnovers. Davis pulled the team aside and told the group the lack of energy was unacceptable. The Tar Heels haven't needed another one of those discussions. 

And beyond the leadership in practice, Hubert Davis also named his graduate guard a connector for the team. 

“It could be really easy as a fifth year senior to say, [forward Drake Powell], [guard Ian Jackson] and [forward James Brown], they're freshmen, I'm gonna be over there,” the head coach said. “No, he's with them. He’s taking them out to breakfast. He's taking them out to lunch.”

It’s simple: he's back because there’s more work to do. More to prove. More records to break. More accolades to add to his resume. More things needed to solidify the legacy he aspires for. 

“The way he carries himself, the way he is in the classroom, the way he works out, the way he practices, everything just screams pro,” senior guard Elijah Davis said. “The fact that he's not in the NBA right now is just not right. He's the best player in college basketball. He's proven that time and time again. This is just another year for him to prove that.” 

@carolinewills03

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