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UNC's dream Hubert Davis replacement already tells Bubba Cunningham no thanks

Unfortunately, it was a long shot to lure this coaching candidate back to the sidelines.
Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

We didn't even get enough time to actually dream about this potential coaching candidate finding his way back onto the sidelines to coach in Chapel Hill!

While the names of potential candidates to replace Hubert Davis continue to swirl, we can unfortunately already rule out one who would've been a dream hire for North Carolina.

UNC's top targets to replace Hubert Davis have massive buyouts to worry about

Brad Stevens says thanks, but no thanks

Every time a high-profile job comes along, Brad Stevens' name is instantly linked to it.

The current president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, Stevens is fondly remembered for the job he did at Butler before making his way to the NBA. Ever since, many who follow college basketball wondered if Stevens would ever consider going back to the collegiate ranks, but it seems like he's very content with his current role in the Celtics front office.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports crushed our dreams on Wednesday morning when he reported that Stevens has removed his name from consideration for the UNC basketball job.

It was always a long shot

Let's face it: of the candidates who have been thrown around, Stevens was one of the least-likely to take the job, regardless of how much we all wanted to dream about it potentially happening.

3 head coaching candidates UNC needs to avoid after firing Hubert Davis

Stevens hasn't coached since 2021, and hasn't been on a college sideline since 2013. At this point, given the way the college landscape has changed, it's not surprising that Stevens is very comfortable in his front office role, allowing him to create and construct an NBA roster while not having to go through the everyday grind of the coaching life.

If North Carolina wasn't enticing enough to lure Stevens back to the college ranks, there might not be a job that intrigues him enough to make that jump back.

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