Hubert Davis ’coaching staff in North Carolina has family knowledge.
For the first time in UNC men’s basketball history, the head coach and the three main assistants are former Tar Heels players.
Davis, who replaced Roy Williams after the Hall of Fame announced his retirement on April 1, appointed Sean May, Brad Frederick and Jeff Lebo as his assistants on Thursday.
May, who was the most prominent player in the 2005 NCAA tournament, had been on Williams’ staff for the past six seasons and Frederick has also been a longtime assistant on the show. Lebo, who was a Davis teammate at UNC, had been the head coach at East Carolina from 2010 to 17.
Jackie Manuel, another former North Carolina standout, is Davis ’director of player and team development.
“I wanted a team that would go to North Carolina and play in North Carolina,” Davis said in a statement. “I think you have a great opportunity to do this job well if you’ve experienced it as a player. It’s not the only way, of course, but since there are so many former players training, it’s a good way to build my first staff as head coach.
“It was important for each of the attendees to have a connection to the coach [Dean] Smith, coach [Bill] Guthridge, coach [Matt] Doherty and Coach Williams. It connects each of the personalities of the former head coaches with our current team, which was a great incentive for the construction of this staff. Carolina Basketball is all of them and I wanted a team that had this diversity of experiences to give the maximum benefit to our players. “
Steve Robinson, who spent 18 years with Williams in North Carolina, has not been detained, according to the school release. Former North Carolina star Kendall Marshall, who had returned two years ago as Williams’ recruiting director, will not return either.