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Tar Heel Today
By the People, for the People
Kenny 'The Jet' Smith Reacts to Hubert Davis Firing, Floated for UNC Job
The TNT analyst shared his thoughts on the North Carolina coaching change and his own name being mentioned as a potential replacement.
Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:37am
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Former North Carolina basketball player and current TNT analyst Kenny 'The Jet' Smith shared his reaction to the firing of Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis. Smith, who was a star player for UNC in the 1980s, said he found it 'disrespectful' that his name had been floated as a potential replacement, noting the importance of maintaining the program's connection to its past coaches and players.
Why it matters
The North Carolina men's basketball program is one of the most storied in college sports, and the decision to part ways with Hubert Davis after just two seasons has sparked intense interest and debate around who will be the next head coach. As a Tar Heels legend, Kenny Smith's perspective on the situation carries significant weight within the UNC community.
The details
Smith thanked Davis for his time as both a player and coach at North Carolina, where the two did not overlap as players but Smith remained close to the program. When asked about his own name being connected to the job opening, Smith called it 'disrespectful,' emphasizing the importance of maintaining the program's lineage and connection to past eras of Tar Heels basketball. Smith stressed that whoever becomes the next head coach should have the intention of 'retiring a Tar Heel,' rather than viewing the job as a steppingstone.
- Hubert Davis was fired as North Carolina's head coach in March 2026.
The players
Kenny 'The Jet' Smith
A former North Carolina basketball player who is currently an analyst for TNT.
Hubert Davis
The former head coach of the North Carolina men's basketball team, who was fired in March 2026 after two seasons.
Brad Frederick
A member of Hubert Davis' coaching staff at North Carolina.
Sean May
A member of Hubert Davis' coaching staff at North Carolina.
Jeff Lebo
A member of Hubert Davis' coaching staff at North Carolina.
What they’re saying
“Yeah, we can talk about North Carolina. But that vacancy – I thought that was honestly disrespectful. But first of all, Coach Hubert Davis, thank you. Your service and what you did for North Carolina basketball as a player and as a coach, you moved it forward. I think people forget that because of one game here and there. But I also think this is a precarious position for North Carolina and for us as Tar Heels. Because what makes us special, when you fire one person, that's Hubert Davis. But when you have Coach [Brad] Frederick, you have Sean May, you have Jeff Lebo, you have Marcus Paige, you have Pat Sullivan. What that is, is you have a lineage to every era of basketball that's Carolina that was on that staff, including Hubert Davis. Every era was connected.”
— Kenny 'The Jet' Smith, Former North Carolina Basketball Player, TNT Analyst
“The other part of that is, the secretaries. They've been there for 10 years. The equipment managers, the strength and conditioning person – decades. So when a new person come in, if we hire supposedly [from] outside the family and this new person comes in, they might [say], 'Well, this guy was my guy. I want to bring him in, as well.' I will say this. Dean Smith retired as a Tar Heel. Roy Williams retired as a Tar Heel. Hubert Davis was going to retire a Tar Heel. Whoever we come in, they have to want to retire a Tar Heel. I don't care what that means. You don't want to look for, 'Oh, [what] J.J. Redick has done in LA. I want to be a Laker.' You retire a Tar Heel, the next person.”
— Kenny 'The Jet' Smith, Former North Carolina Basketball Player, TNT Analyst
What’s next
The University of North Carolina is expected to conduct a thorough search for its next head men's basketball coach in the coming weeks.
The takeaway
Kenny Smith's comments highlight the deep connection between the North Carolina basketball program and its past players and coaches, emphasizing the importance of maintaining that legacy and tradition as the Tar Heels search for their next head coach.
