North Carolina basketball’s RJ Davis, who decided in May to return for a fifth and final year with the Tar Heels, is the headliner for UNC entering the 2024-25 season as the reigning ACC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.

In his fourth season, Davis averaged an ACC-leading 21.2 points per game and helped the Tar Heels win the ACC regular-season championship. With Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan and Armando Bacot no longer on the roster, Davis and Elliot Cadeau are UNC’s returning starters in the program’s fourth season under head coach Hubert Davis.

Belmont transfer Cade Tyson and Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin are among the newcomers, along with freshmen Ian Jackson, Drake Powell and James Brown.

RJ Davis was at Dick’s House of Sport in Fayetteville on Sunday afternoon for an hour and a half to meet and greet fans, posing for photos and signing autographs as part of the store’s one-year anniversary celebration.

In an exclusive interview with the USA TODAY Network, Davis discussed UNC’s newcomers, playing without Bacot and why he wanted to spend one more year in Chapel Hill

Here are 10 topics from the 10-minute interview. Answers are lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

UNC basketball's RJ Davis on why he’s playing a fifth year with the Tar Heels

Davis: It was a long process and a lot of thinking went into it. Obviously, coming off a big year with a special team, it wasn’t an easy decision to make — at all. I knew it would be a hard one to make, but I felt like it was in my best interest to come back for a fifth year to finish what I started. First and foremost, I haven’t won a national championship. That’s on my goal list to continue my legacy and, at the same time, just taking advantage of my fifth year. … I’m ready for the next level and everyone’s gonna have their thoughts and opinions on me coming back for another year, but it’s not their decision to make. It was mine and I felt like I made the best of it.

RJ Davis on his primary focuses in the offseason

Davis: I think my primary focus this offseason has been to be a leader for this team. We have a lot of new guys and transfers coming in, so it’s a new team with new dynamics. We’re establishing what the Carolina standard is for them, but also for myself. … I’ve been a leader the last four years, but now I’m being more vocal with it. I’m trying to take that extra step, and then just working on my overall game and sharpening my tools.

RJ Davis on chasing Tyler Hansbrough, becoming UNC’s all-time leading scorer

Davis: It hasn’t really hit me. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I have a chance to be the all-time leading scorer. To me, that’s shocking because I’m at the University of North Carolina and T-Hans leads the all-time leading scorer list. … I’m more focused on winning and that comes with accolades and achievements. Obviously, I’d be very grateful and blessed to achieve that and make that accomplishment come true … but at the same time, for me, it’s about winning and making sure we’re in the best position as a team.

RJ Davis on how much he’s thought about UNC’s loss to Alabama in 2024 NCAA Tournament

Davis: It’s definitely hit me a lot. This past offseason was a lot, because of the great year I had in the regular season and getting the chance to play in the Sweet 16 against Alabama. It was a set back for me a little bit, because it was a tough game and a game we could’ve won despite my performance with shooting the ball poorly. It’s definitely been stuck on my mind a lot this offseason and the things I can improve on.

I think sometimes in order to succeed, you have to fail a little bit. That was hard for me to accept that. It was hard for me to accept not shooting the ball well and being seconds away from going to the Elite Eight and doing something special. But I feel like everything happens for a reason. Obviously, I didn’t agree with that reason (smiles), but I think it made me look at life a little bit differently and look at this upcoming season a little bit differently. It’s motivated me to get back to the Final Four for the first time since my sophomore year.

RJ Davis on UNC’s roster without Armando Bacot

Davis: I think about that all the time. It feels like Armando’s been a part of this program for so long, and it’s different not having him there with you — especially your running mate that you went to battle with. He was my roommate too, so it’s definitely a different dynamic. We don’t have a big 6-10 kid who acts like a baby and is a child at heart (laughs). With his personality, we’ll definitely miss him. The way he left his legacy at UNC and what he’s done for this program, on and off the court, has been a tremendous help. He paved the way of how things are supposed to be. I took that to not do it his way, but my way with knowing how he left this place. He’s a big help in my leadership. It’s definitely different. … Change is good sometimes, we just have to get accustomed to that.

RJ Davis on UNC plans to rebound without Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram

Davis: Rebounding has always been such a high emphasis for Carolina. I think one thing that Coach Davis always says in the locker room, even before games, ‘It’s not a Armando Bacot rebounding game, it’s a UNC rebounding game.’ We have the potential, we have the talent to be really good. I think we’re all just going to have to dial in as far as rebounding the basketball. We have a really good backcourt and frontcourt. Armando being the all-time leading rebounder, he’s gone now, so it’s a good chance for us as a team to step up the rebounding with everyone getting a chance to get their rebounds.

RJ Davis on Cade Tyson, Ven-Allen Lubin, UNC’s incoming transfers

Davis: I think they bring a lot to the table. Experience, maturity. Ven’s a solid player. Both of them have had a tremendous summer, just learning on the fly and getting accustomed. Ven, he does a good job of knowing how to play — whether it’s setting solid screens, making quick moves in the post or finding his spots. He does a really good job of reading off pick-and-rolls and I think he’ll be a tremendous factor on the defensive end.

Cade, the one thing about him, he can shoot the ball. He really does a good job of finding his spots, whether that’s on the ball, off the ball. He moves really well without the ball and his catch-and-shoot is phenomenal. In transition, I’ll pitch the ball ahead and he lets it fly. I think, from those two guys, you can expect a lot of great things.

RJ Davis on Jalen Washington’s increased role with the Tar Heels

Davis: I’m really excited for J-Wash’s progression and his next step. One thing about him, he has really great upside and the potential to be great. I tell him that every day: You’ve been here for three years and you know how this ship rolls. He’s done a great job this summer and I’m really proud of him accepting the challenge of taking his game forward. We all know he can stretch the floor, but one thing that really surprised me this summer is his defense and ability to talk. You really hear him talking the loudest on pick-and-roll reads. I think that just comes with comfortability and confidence. I’m really expecting a lot from J-Wash. He’s had a really good summer. I think he’s going to take a step forward this year.

RJ Davis on UNC freshmen Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, James Brown

Davis: We have three really good freshmen. I’m pretty sure everyone’s excited to see them and so am I. Between Drake, Ian and JB, they’re really good and they mesh well together. Their personalities show on and off the court. Drake is a phenomenal defender with a really long wingspan who plays the game the right way. He’s not too flashy, but you’ll know his impact is made on that court.

Ian’s a phenomenal athlete who can really shoot the ball and get to his spots really well. I’m expecting a lot of big things from all three of them. JB shocked me, because I didn’t know too much about him. He’s holding his own with the way he’s been able to battle with the bigs. His touch around the rim is phenomenal — he has a really soft touch.

RJ Davis on UNC’s playing style under Hubert Davis

Davis: I’m expecting us to play fast. Last year, we got back to that typical Carolina pace. But I think this year will be even faster, just because of all the guards we have that like to play uphill at a fast pace. Between myself, Elliot (Cadeau), Seth (Trimble), Ian and Drake, I think you’ll see a lot of us getting up-and-down with bigs running. In terms of play style, it’ll be similar to how we played last year. It’s just kind of more free flow.

Coach Davis is still getting a feel for everyone on the team, and it’s still new. We’re reemphasizing the things we were taught last year, but one thing I love about Coach Davis, he allows his players to make mistakes but be confident. He never wants to have a leash on you where you can’t go out there and play your game. I think this summer he’s allowed everyone to showcase their talents and I think it’ll be really good for us. You can really see the talent and the strides we’ve been able to take. I think the potential … the sky’s the limit for this team. I’m really excited for this team. We’re young, but we’re fast.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball's RJ Davis answers questions about 2024-25 Tar Heels