There has never been a doubt about how Hubert Davis felt about North Carolina basketball and being a Tar Heel, but in case any questions lingered, Michael Malone put them to rest during his introductory press conference on Tuesday.
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In Chapel Hill, he talked about how Davis "let him into the family" and, along with assistant Pat Sullivan, gave him access to the program. Malone added that Davis also reached out to him personally via a text message, which speaks volumes to how much he still cares about the program.
New UNC basketball coach Michael Malone on Hubert Davis "I have to say this. Hubert Davis let me in. This is bittersweet. Coach Davis, he sent me an amazing message yesterday, but he allowed me to come in and watch. Be a part of his family, which does not happen very often, pic.twitter.com/Dq6xtgKV5T
— InsideCarolina (@InsideCarolina) April 8, 2026
"Coach Davis, he sent me an amazing message yesterday, but he allowed me to come in and watch. Be a part of his family, which does not happen very often, if ever," Malone said.
Hubert Davis reached out to Michael Malone after he took the UNC job
Malone added that he and Sullivan are close friends, and they often discussed the team's performance throughout the year.
"I would spend time with the coaches, and I was rooting for them all year long. Sully and I would talk about, 'what are you seeing coach, what can we do better, what recommendations do you have?', Malone added. "And I wish I could've been better help."
Malone's comments showed the delicate nature of how he had to approach yesterday's press conference. This hire was a surprise to many and Malone had to do his best to "win" the press conference and generate some excitement from the fanbase. However, he also wanted to show respect to Davis, who remains an important member of the Tar Heels family and someone who has always represented the university with class.
The fact that Davis took the time to reach out and support Malone shouldn't be a surprise. For Davis, the honor of being the steward of UNC basketball was something that he never took for granted. He has always shared the belief that the program is bigger than him or any one person - and everyone in the family is rooting for Malone to be successful.