UNC Basketball: Is Hubert Davis a hypocrite after Elliot Cadeau decision?

UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis previously said he was against high school players reclassifying. Tuesday, he benefitted from that decision.

UNC basketball received great news on Tuesday, with top-ranked junior Elliot Cadeau reclassifying to play this year for the Tar Heels. Previously, UNC had a hole in its backcourt, one that will now be filled by Cadeau, who 247sports classifies as an elite pass-first point guard:

“He creates at will, able to get his own buckets, see the open man, and elevate those around him,” said 247Sports national recruiting analyst Travis Branham. “He’s shifty with the ball with a quick burst of speed that keeps his defenders on their heels. He is an elite point guard with as high of a floor as they come in the (2024) class – making for what will be a true college star in the year(s) ahead.”

So, all is great in Chapel Hill, right? Of course!

However, just a few short months ago, head coach Hubert Davis suggested that high school recruits reclassifying to play early was a bad idea.

UNC basketball: Will Hubert Davis eat his words?

In February, Hubert Davis made a radio appearance in which he suggested players reclassifying could come back to bite them.

“I’ve just never seen it work out well for somebody reclassifying,” Davis said on his radio show in February. “It is a huge jump from high school to playing in college and at our level. I think it’s even more difficult now because of the COVID extra year and the transfer portal… In order to play at this level there also has to be a sense of maturity. Coming to college, you don’t have mom and dad around. You’ve got to manage your time, manage your academics, manage everything, and be able to put things into perspective.”

Now, what Davis said is correct. The jump from high school to college is a large one for most players. The gap is insurmountable for a lot of very talented high school athletes. Cadeau could very well prove him wrong, but first Davis has some explaining to do.

Cadeau’s high-school coach described him as a true floor general, so perhaps he already has that “maturity” Davis is referring to.