Hubert Davis considers lack of joy from North Carolina roster during games

There’s no doubt that North Carolina has fallen short of expectations to this point of the regular season. It has reached the point where, after their latest loss, questions about their demeanor and their presence feel justified with how things seem from the outside looking in. Even so, Hubert Davis is making it very clear that the Tar Heels don’t have a ‘joyfulness’ problem.

Davis shared his thoughts on any potential issues with UNC’s attitude following their 92-85 loss to Wake Forest. He wants his team to continue to play the sport the way it was intended to be – a game. In doing so, he thinks that naturally will bring out the kind of things he’s looking for from his team.

“It’s just basketball. It’s just to have fun and enjoy,” Davis said. “I always talk to them about how there’s a difference between happiness and joyfulness. And that you should play with joyfulness. Happiness is something that personally happens to you. But joyfulness is an act of thankfulness and appreciation for doing something that you love, doing something that you love with people that you love, and doing something that you love with people that you love at a place that you love. That’s what drives you to be the best that you can be.”

“That’s the way I want them to play,” added Davis. “I want them to play with that joy, that happiness, and that thankfulness for being in this position.”

Davis highlighted the joy his team shows when the cameras are away, specifically when they’re shooting half-court shots at shootaround. Even so, for whatever reason, that joy isn’t always translating onto the floor as North Carolina sits at 15-9 and has lost three straight.

Pretending to be a ‘body language doctor’ from the outside isn’t always giving your ‘patient’ the benefit of the doubt, especially considering none of us ever see everything within these programs. That’s why, considering what Davis goes through with his team day in and day out, he’s the only one who really knows where his team is at. From here, that puts it on him and him alone to diagnose his team, make them well again, and do it in time for their season to stay on track.