“RJ Davis, UNC's 'Connector', faces a rematch in Kansas”

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – RJ Davis The loss to Kansas in the 2022 national championship was a personal motivation for him, as he used it as strength for his remaining seasons at North Carolina. Two years and seven months later, he is the only player on the UNC roster who still tells stories from that day.

Davis remembers the emotions welling up inside him as he looked at the clock ticking down at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans as the buzzer sounded on an improbable UNC season that saw the team go from a borderline tournament team to a national runner-up title promotion. Only Davis knows the feeling of playing all 40 minutes in the biggest game of the year, fighting through the gradual fatigue that comes with logging a lot of minutes in the postseason, and coming up with a rebound goal from behind by three points college basketball's ultimate trophy.

“The next year, I watched that game over and over again because it’s so close to the dream you set for yourself as a freshman or as a high school athlete,” Davis said Wednesday in the Smith Center Zimmer press conference. “You always want to win the national championship just by watching different teams and different players play in March Madness, and you just want to be the last team standing. Being that close was definitely heartbreaking for me.”

Davis will face the No. 1 Jayhawks again on Friday, but at a different stage in his career. Davis left New Orleans as a second-year point guard and was fourth on the team in points per game. But he will come into Allen Fieldhouse on Friday as a first-team All-American and the reigning ACC Player of the Year — and also UNC's longest-serving player.

Last season's North Carolina team featured fifth-graders Armando Bacot, Cormac Ryan and Paxson Wojick, as well as Davis and Jae'Lyn Withers, who were playing their fourth season. Withers remains, but Davis is the only Tar Heel on this roster who has been with the team in every year of Hubert Davis' tenure as head coach.

Because of this, more was asked of the veteran guard.

“Being a fifth-year First Team All-American, he could really take a position away from the team based on his success here.” Hubert Davis said last week. “And I had the feeling that it would be extremely important for our team if he was a link to the ten new guys. He would reach out to the backup players, the rookies and the transfers and build relationships with them. And he did it.” He was our link to all the new players and really brought our team together, and that's thanks to him.

Hubert Davis said the fifth-grader intends to share meals with his teammates and show the new players where he can. In practice, he pulled players to the side and tried to impart wisdom to them.

Davis, 23, said he has accepted the call to increase his presence as a leader, especially given the slew of new players he shares the court with.

“Yeah, it was new, but I think I adjusted to it really well,” Davis said. “It's just about putting myself in situations where I feel uncomfortable. This way I can feel comfortable. It makes you learn more about yourself. I've always been a leader who leads by example, but now it's more about being more vocal and having a good spirit because that encourages others.

“I have to make sure I do my job and make sure everyone is okay, that there is a good atmosphere, not just in the locker room, (but) on the field, even in training. Because that could be the case.” Days when everyone is in their head, and that’s normal, that’s what I’ve learned in my five years here.

Davis shouldered the load with his play late Monday night in the season opener against Elon. He scored 10 of UNC's final 21 points – and assisted on another five points – to push the Tar Heels past the Phoenix in Chapel Hill. North Carolina has become accustomed to Davis' scoring touches, but his distinct vocal delivery marks the biggest change in his game this year.

Cade Tyson said the team's ability to spend a lot of time outside of basketball helps build a bond, and he praised Davis for his role in forging that bond.

“He does it in groups, and we'll all try to do some fun things together, besides basketball and eating and stuff like that,” Tyson said last week. “So I would just say it's a big deal that he's the connector.”

Davis learned what it takes to play a long season of college basketball during his sophomore year. Last season, he played on the most consistent UNC team of his career: the Tar Heels won the ACC regular season and secured the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Now he speaks to his current teammates with the knowledge his last four seasons have given him.

“This year is going to be tough,” Davis said. “There will be times where there will be good times and bad times, but we have to embrace all of that and stay together as a team because it will be a roller coaster ride. There will be games where things go our way if not. That's how basketball works. But at the same time, it is an experience that we should embrace as a team, as a culture and as a university.

“Of course that comes with expectations and a lot of outside noise, but I think one thing is that you should always run towards it and never run away from it, because expectations and pressure are a privilege.”