NCAA Basketball: Top 10 candidates for 2024-25 Player of the Year
By Joey Loose
2. RJ Davis
Davis was a Top 50 recruit from the Class of 2020 who chose North Carolina over several other options. The New York native joined a long line of successful young players to choose the Tar Heels and there’s been no shortage of headlines in his time in Chapel Hill. There have been ups and downs, including a national title game appearance during his sophomore year. Regardless of anything else, he’s coming off quite a remarkable senior year.
The fifth-year talent is coming off his best season, averaging 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists for the Tar Heels. He was named ACC Player of the Year and earned All-American honors, guiding the Tar Heels to a regular season title and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Davis put up career numbers, including a near-40% mark from outside the arc, more than covering for the departures of Caleb Love and other talent from recent years.
The ACC’s top scorer is back for one final collegiate journey and should have North Carolina in competitive shape come 2025. There was little question that Davis was one of the top guards in the country last season and he’ll look to build on that incredible production. The Tar Heels should lean heavily on younger pieces around him, meaning they’ve value Davis’s veteran experience and leadership. If all goes according to plan, Davis very well could be the ACC’s top player again, regardless of some of the younger talent entering the league.