On April 1, 2021, Roy Williams announced his retirement. Williams stated that he didn't feel like he was the "right man for the job anymore".
ESPN's
Seth Greenberg suspected the changing culture of college basketball and "constantly re-recruiting your players, as opposed to mentoring them" played a part in Williams' decision. Following the announcement, athletic director
Bubba Cunningham and chancellor
Kevin Guskiewicz started the process of searching for the next head coach.
CBS Sports' Matt Norlander said "The best job in college basketball just opened". On April 5, 2021, UNC hired former player and assistant coach Hubert Davis as the next head coach. The next day, Davis was formally introduced at an introductory press conference.
Roster changes Following UNC's loss to Wisconsin in the
2021 NCAA tournament,
Sports Illustrated's Quierra Luck reported, "Carolina will have some transfers; a considerably high number for UNC" and
Inside Carolina's Sherrell McMillan reported the offseason would be "ominous". Three days later, freshman center
Walker Kessler announced he was entering the NCAA's transfer portal. Inside Carolina reported that Kessler's decision was a "basketball decision only". On April 12, 2021, Kessler announced that he would transfer to
Auburn for the 2021-22 season. On March 24, 2021, freshman forward/center
Day'Ron Sharpe declared for the
2021 NBA draft. On April 6, 2021 sophomore
Armando Bacot also declared for the NBA draft, citing his intentions to "test the waters". On June 21, 2021 Bacot formally withdrew from the NBA draft process, signaling his return to UNC for his junior season in a tweet. Redshirt junior Sterling Manley,
walk-on senior Walker Miller, and senior forward
Garrison Brooks all announced intentions to graduate and transfer. Brooks transferred to
Mississippi State on April 15. On June 19, Miller announced he would be pursuing a graduate transfer at
Monmouth University, and would be coached there by another former Tar Heel player in
King Rice. Manley eventually pulled his name from the transfer portal and decided to turn professional. After graduation, guard Andrew Platek eventually put his name into the transfer portal, and enrolled at
Siena College in his home state of New York. Coach Davis was active in the transfer portal to mitigate these losses. On April 10, 2021,
Virginia transfer Justin McKoy chose the Tar Heels. He was followed on April 16 by
Oklahoma forward
Brady Manek. On July 8, 2021, the Tar Heels picked up another transfer when former
Marquette forward
Dawson Garcia, a
Big East All-Freshman team selection for the 2020–2021 season, committed to the Tar Heels. His addition was made official on July 9, when the school issued a press release indicating his signing and arrival in Chapel Hill.
Departures Incoming transfers 2021 recruiting class ==Roster==