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RJ Davis earns a very early preseason honor

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: RJ Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots against Mark Sears #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: RJ Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots against Mark Sears #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

In his fourth season as a North Carolina Tar Heel last year, RJ Davis delivered a campaign that turned him into the ACC Player of the Year and one of the country's top players.

Just two months ahead of UNC's coming basketball season, Davis is already reigning preseason recognition.

On Tuesday, Sept. 4, Davis was named a preseason Blue Ribbon First Team All-American. Davis' recognition is named after the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, which lists preseason rankings, predicts award-winners and is regarded as one of college basketball's most popular books.

Davis, who led the ACC and finished 11th nationally with 21.2 points per game last year, leads a 2024-2025 North Carolina roster that returns guards Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble, power forward Jae'Lyn Withers and center Jalen Washington. The Tar Heels also welcome in 4-star center James Brown, plus a pair of 5-star McDonalds All-Americans in Drake Powell and Ian Jackson.

Head coach Hubert Davis gained some recruiting wins later in the transfer portal, snagging Cade Tyson from Belmont and Ven-Allen Lubin from Vanderbilt, after top-end talent like Coleman Hawkins valued more NIL money elsewhere over a traditional program. Davis surprised Tar Heel Nation more recently, making likely his final portal addition in Tyzhaun Clause.

Davis has his sights set on something greater this coming season: leading UNC to its seventh National Championship.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire : RJ Davis earns a very early preseason honor