North Carolina’s Next Coach: Who’s Favored To Replace Roy Williams At UNC?

North Carolina is now tasked with replacing one of the greatest coaches in the history of college basketball. Roy Williams has announced his retirement, creating an opening for one of the most coveted jobs in the sport.

Who will be Williams’ successor? The leading candidates are all former UNC players.

Hubert Davis is viewed as the favorite to be North Carolina’s next basketball coach. With even betting odds at Bovada, an online sportsbook, the current Tar Heels assistant coach was quickly pegged as the top candidate.

Davis joined Williams’ coaching staff in 2012. The 50-year-old played for North Carolina from 1988-1992 before embarking on a 12-year NBA career.

Right behind Davis is Wes Miller, who has +200 odds to replace Williams. Miller played under Williams from 2004-2007 and has been the UNC Greensboro head coach for the last decade. Miller has led the mid-major to appearances in two of the last three NCAA Tournaments.

Jerry Stackhouse is third with +700 to become North Carolina’s coach. A star player with the Tar Heels in the mid-90s and a former NBA All-Star, Stackhouse was hired as Vanderbilt’s head coach in 2019.

“We need to spend a great deal of time thinking about who is the right person right now,” UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham told the media Thursday. “I do think that, you know, the often-used word is, ‘fit.’ I think that is part of it, and I think time and circumstance is all part of that as well. The history and tradition here is winning. We’ve had it in the family for a long period of time, and that is important, but it's not the only factor in trying to make a decision like this.”

The UNC AD acknowledged that the university could hire someone who didn’t attend North Carolina. With +1800 odds to replace Williams, Villanova head coach Jay Wright has the best odds of anyone who isn’t a Tar Heel. Wright has been the Wildcats’ head coach for two decades, winning two national championships in the last five years.

Villanova defeated Williams and North Carolina on a last-second shot in the 2016 national title game.

Virginia head coach Tony Bennett has +2000 odds. The Cavaliers won the 2019 national championship with Bennett at the helm.

Among other potential candidates who have been given betting odds is Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens at +3300. Stevens might not be a realistic option after he recently turned down the chance to become Indiana’s head coach.

Baylor head coach Scott Drew (+2000), Alabama head coach Nate Oats (+2000) and Kansas head coach Bill Self (+2500) are also on the list.