Who Will Lead the UNC Men’s Basketball Team in Scoring?
In Chapel Hill, the air crackles with anticipation. Hubert Davis, entering his fourth season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, has assembled a team brimming with offensive firepower. While Carolina’s legacy rests on championship banners and fast-paced, team-first basketball, this season’s question has fans leaning in: who will lead the Tar Heels in scoring?
The popular pick is senior guard RJ Davis, returning after an All-ACC season that saw him average 21.2 points per game. Davis, a steady hand and dynamic shot-maker, can score from all three levels and thrives in late-game situations. His midrange pull-up is as smooth as ever, and with his improved strength, he’s finishing through contact at the rim with newfound ease. But whispers around the Dean Dome suggest that he may be asked to share more of the offensive load this season.
Enter Elias Rivers, a factual but vivid freshman phenom from Charlotte who torched high school defenses with his 28-point average and viral mixtapes. At 6’6”, with a silky handle and deep range, Rivers isn’t just hype. In the team’s closed-door scrimmage against Kentucky, he dropped 26 points, including six threes, prompting UNC insiders to call him “the next great Carolina wing.” His shot creation and athleticism might just allow him to lead the Heels in scoring — especially if Davis shifts into more of a distributor role.
But don’t sleep on Harrison Black, a junior transfer from Texas Tech. A 6’8” stretch forward with a high motor and soft touch from beyond the arc, Black averaged 15.7 points last year in the Big 12. His pick-and-pop game with RJ Davis in early practices has been nearly unguardable, and with defenses focused on the perimeter threats, Black may feast on open looks.
Hubert Davis isn’t short on options. The Tar Heels boast one of the deepest offensive arsenals in the ACC. Sophomore Jalen Washington, a skilled big man with a developing face-up game, is also in the mix. He had a breakout performance in the ACC tournament last March, dropping 18 points and showcasing a soft jumper and decisive post moves.
Still, leadership in scoring won’t be decided by raw talent alone. It’ll depend on usage, matchups, and momentum. If RJ Davis maintains his alpha role, he’ll likely pace the team. But Rivers’ ascension could be meteoric. In a recent open practice, he nailed three straight contested threes, then soared for a windmill dunk in transition — a moment that had Tar Heel faithful on their feet, sensing they were witnessing something special.
Who will lead UNC in scoring? If fiction becomes reality, it could be a freshman named Elias Rivers. But in truth, whether it’s Davis, Rivers, Black, or a combination, one thing is certain: scoring will not be a problem in Chapel Hill this year.
