This one comes as a pretty big shocker: Hubert Davis is leaving ESPN to take on an assistant coaching job at UNC under coach Roy Williams. Davis was with ESPN for seven years, appearing on College Gameday, a variety of studio shows, and even doing color commentary on games. He’s a former Tar Heel player as well, and was second-team all-ACC as a senior in 1992…

“I am very excited, thankful and honored to re-join the Carolina basketball program as an assistant to Coach Williams,” says Davis. “I loved being a part of college basketball during my time at ESPN by attending practices and games and developing relationships with players and coaches. Now I will have the opportunity to do this on a more personal level at a university and with a basketball program that I have loved my entire life.”

Davis was one of the better college hoops analysts that ESPN had, and was really never featured on this site in a negative sense. The general word among ESPN staffers is that Davis will be missed by his coworkers, including Gameday host Rece Davis. No word from Hubert’s fellow Gameday analysts Digger Phelps or Jay Bilas quite yet.

We’re still months away from meaningful college basketball, but this opens up a seat on the Gameday set. College Gameday’s football set has four people. With Davis’s departure, Gameday basketball now has just three – a former coach (Phelps), a former player (Bilas), and the host (Davis)… and occasionally Bob Knight. There is no counterpart for football’s Desmond Howard on the set with Davis leaving.  The problem is, I don’t think ESPN has too many options to fill that role unless someone like Jay Williams or Doug Gottlieb is in line for the spot.

Who do you think would be a good choice to replace Hubert Davis on the Gameday set?

[H/T: WFMY]

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.

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