Keeping It Heel
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UNC basketball star RJ Davis named to the CBS Sports' Preseason All-American team

The fifth-year senior is expected to once again put together an All-American type season for the UNC basketball program.

By Jeremiah Artacho

Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) with the ball as guard Cade Tyson (5) defends in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) with the ball as guard Cade Tyson (5) defends in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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RJ Davis has made CBS Sports' 2024-25 Preseason All-American First Team. Gary Parrish, Kyle Boone, and David Cobb elected to place the White Plains, New York native on their squad.

"Davis joined exclusive company among Tarheel elite last season, becoming the fifth UNC guard – along with Michael Jordan, Phil Ford, Ty Lawson and Joseph Forte – to be voted ACC Player of the Year. Davis also earned consensus All-America honors last season as reward for his true star turn where he averaged an ACC-leading 21.2 points per game and improved on his passing numbers while cutting down on mistakes."

"With big man and long-time teammate Armando Bacot gone, UNC will rely even more heavily on both the production and leadership of Davis, who is entering his fifth season in Chapel Hill. There are eight new faces to the Tar Heels' ranks this season. Two of them are five-stars with lottery potential. All three transfer adds previously averaged double-figures at former schools. No one, though, is more capable of elevating the talent around him and operating as the clear No. 1 than is Davis. It'll be on him to add even more pieces to his game and make the new pieces on this team work – and work well.— KB"

Davis has faced a lot since his freshman year in Chapel Hill: a pandemic while playing basketball, making a national championship appearance, missing the NCAA Tournament, and starring on an ACC regular-season championship team.

Despite the ups and downs, he earned ACC Player of the Year and AP All-American honors. He went from averaging 8.4 to 21.2 in points and 1.9 to 3.5 in assists. He also has the chance to finish his Tar Heel career as the all-time leading scorer, passing Tyler Hansbrough.

Davis is joined by Kansas' Hunter Dickinson and Alabama's Mark Sears, Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner and Duke's Cooper Flag.

One last ride ahead for Davis underneath Coach Hubert Davis who's entering his fourth leading the charge. The possibilities are endless but one thing is for sure — a national championship is at stake.

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