Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Set to Send RJ Davis' Jersey to the Rafters on Monday

Jared C. Tilton- Getty Images

After the athletic department announced yesterday that it would welcome Mack Brown back to Chapel Hill on Monday night, it was revealed that he won’t be the only big name that will be honored that night.

As first reported by Jacob Turner of TarHeel247, the Tar Heels will be sending RJ Davis’ number to the Smith Center rafters on Monday night during the team’s game with the Louisville Cardinals. His number will join the other legends after he earned ACC Player of the Year and first team All-American honors following his 2023-24 season.

Davis, a former mid-level 4✮ recruit out of high school, spent five years in a Tar Heel uniform and became one of the top scoring presences in the history of the program. After a freshman season where he started 10 of 29 games that he played in, Davis would take over one of the starting guard spots alongside Caleb Love as he averaged 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists and shot 42.5% from the field, 36.7% from three and 83.3% from the foul line while helping lead the Tar Heels to the national title game where they would come up short.

The next year, as a junior, Davis took another step despite the team falling short of making the NCAA tournament. In 33 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 43.8% from the field, 36.2% from three and a career-high 88.1% from the foul line.

His senior season was the one that many Tar Heel fans will remember, though. In 37 games, Davis averaged 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.8% from the field, a career-high 39.8% from three and 87.3% from the foul line for a Tar Heel team that would win the ACC regular season title for the first time since 2018-19. He would earn unanimous first team All-American recognition and was named the ACC Player of the Year.

Davis would close out his career with the Tar Heels last year as he led the way for a team that was once again on the NCAA bubble. In 37 games, he averaged 17.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 41.3% from the field, 35.4% from three and 87.3% from the foul line. The Tar Heels would dominate the First Round game in Dayton against San Diego State, but would fall in the Round of 64 to Ole Miss, which would bring his legendary Tar Heel career to a close.

In his five seasons, Davis averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field, 36.7% from three and 86.1% from the foul line in 175 career games. His 2,725 career points currently sit second all-time behind Tyler Hansbrough, which is why he, like Hansbrough, should be remembered as one of the most dynamic scorers in program history.

Davis is currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers G-League team, the South Bay Lakers, and is averaging 19.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 46.0% from the field, 46.2% from three and 86.5% from the foul line.