"I'm looking to be an all-around player": UNC star RJ Davis focusing on expanding his game beyond just scoring
North Carolina guard RJ Davis has set his sights on becoming an all-around player who could lead the Tar Heels to their seventh national title and first since 2017. Davis revealed his primary objective for the 2024-25 NCAA season in a chat with CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
Davis led North Carolina's offense, averaging 21.2 points on 42.8% shooting, including a 39.8% clip from beyond the 3-point line on 3.1 triples made per contest. But when asked about what he wants to showcase in his final year in Chapel Hill, the six-foot guard talked about his goal to become an all-around player.
"I'm looking to be an all-around player — not just scoring — but whatever it takes to win," he said.
Last season, his rebounding numbers fell from 5.1 to 3.6 per game but his assists climbed slightly to 3.5 from 3.2 per contest and his steals moved up from 1.1 to 1.2 swipes per outing.
"I think a thing that's underrated is my playmaking," Davis said. "I don't think that gets talked about a lot. That's going to be a true testament to my work. I'm really just focusing on my all-around game. My 3-point game, my defense improved a lot last year, and I'm looking to continue that this year."
RJ Davis looks forward to teaming up with UNC's youthful corps
RJ Davis expressed excitement over North Carolina's younger and more athletic lineup for the 2024-25 college basketball season. The fifth-year guard noted that they will be faster than last year with the infusion of young talent during the offseason.
"We're a lot younger this year. Last year, we had a lot of old guys. This year, we're a lot younger, but we're a lot more athletic... We're going to be playing a lot faster and getting up and down a lot. We have a lot of talent, but we just have to piece it together," Davis said.
North Carolina has added five freshmen and three transfers during the offseason. Five-star duo Ian Jackson and Drake Powell lead the freshmen recruits, while power forward Ven-Allen Lubin and small forward Cade Tyson were the top Tar Heels' acquisitions from the transfer portal.
North Carolina looks to improve on their Sweet 16 finish last season and Davis will be at the forefront of the team's campaign this coming season. The Hubert Davis-coached squad opens the 2024-25 season with exhibition games against Memphis on Oct. 15 and Johnson C. Smith on Oct. 27.
The Tar Heels start their regular season on Nov. 4 against Elon at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill.