UNC coaching search: Jay Williams names top candidates to replace Hubert Davis

Heading into the second full day of the head coaching search at North Carolina, ESPN’s Jay Williams has pitched his top two candidates to replace Hubert Davis in Chapel Hill. He is swinging big.

During Thursday morning’s edition of First Take, Williams pitched Alabama head coach Nate Oats and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan as his two leading candidates. Oats is currently in the midst of his fifth Sweet 16 run at Alabama, while Donovan is heading towards the end of his sixth season at the helm of the Chicago Bulls.

Since taking over at Alabama ahead of the 2019-20 season, Oats has blossomed into one of the most heralded coaches in all of college basketball. In that span, the Wisconsin native has led the Crimson Tide to a 170-72 (87-38) record with appearances in the past six NCAA Tournaments. That includes five Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eight appearances, and one Final Four appearance.

Taking over at North Carolina, for Billy Donovan, would mark a return to the college coaching sphere. Donovan previously spent 19 seasons at Florida, where he led the Gators to a 467-186 (200-110) record with back-to-back National Championships in 2006 and 2007. He departed Florida following the 2014-15 season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and hasn’t looked back to college sports since.

Nate Oats, Billy Donovan discuss rumors linking them to North Carolina opening

Both coaches were asked about the opening in the immediate aftermath of Davis’ firing. Donovan was asked first, ahead of Chicago’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

“My main focus is on these guys and this new team,” Donovan said, via The Athletic’s Tony Jones. “I understand that there’s stuff out there, and I understand that there is going to be certain speculation. But, I have to concentrate on this group, and really, my focus is on what we’re doing here in Chicago and having a game tonight, and traveling to go and play in a back-to-back.”

Oats was asked one day later during his Sweet Sixteen media availability. His Alabama Crimson Tide will clash with Michigan on Friday for a spot in the Elite Eight.

“They’re doing everything they can to make sure that we’ve got a competitive program,” Oats said. “As long as we’re able to compete to win championships here, SEC and National Championships, we haven’t done that here yet. I’d love to be the coach to bring us our first National Championship. We got to a Final Four. To me, there’s absolutely no reason to leave here. While it’s flattering that a high school guy that caught a couple of breaks would be mentioned for some of these jobs because they’ve got a lot of tradition, I’m not a guy looking to get out of here anytime soon.”

There’s no question that North Carolina is one of the most coveted jobs in all of college basketball. The program boasts 2,419 wins all-time (third most in NCAA history) and six National Championships (T-third most in NCAA history). Following Davis’ shortcomings at the program, a slam-dunk hire is crucial for Cunningham and Carolina’s administration.