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Talented North Carolina guard RJ Davis broke NBA legend Michael Jordan's Tar Heels scoring record in the 80-76 loss against the Clemson Tigers on Wednesday. He registered 22 points, four rebounds and five assists.
With 6:30 remaining, the $892,000 NIL-valued RJ Davis, according to On3, scored a free throw to surpass the Tar Heels legend, who ended his UNC career with 1,788 points.
Davis is in sensational form, averaging 21.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season for the Tar Heels.
Why did RJ Davis return to North Carolina?
RJ Davis opted to return to UNC this season when it was expected that he would declare for the 2023 NBA Draft. He explained his reasons to Tar Heel Illustrated.
"I wanted to honor the commitment I made to my mom to earn a degree," Davis said. "And I also wanted to recommit to Carolina and be the leader I know I can be. Last season did not end the way I wanted."
With the 2024 NBA Draft a few months away and Davis being projected as a potential first-round pick, there's still a possibility that he opts to return for his extra COVID-19 year of eligibility.
He also spoke about the possibility of returning to UNC next season:
“I haven’t. It actually hasn’t hit me yet. I think I’ve been doing a good job of just staying in the moment and worrying about this year, rather than what the future may look like. That really hasn’t hit me yet, so I’m just enjoying my senior year.”
During his weekly news conference, UNC coach Hurbert Davis was full of praise for RJ Davis and the evident growth in his game.
"He’s in a really good rhythm," Davis said, via TarHeelsWire. "His leadership has been off the chart this year. His defense has been terrific, and just offensively, very few players that, from an offensive standpoint, have the ability to be able to score with the ball in his hands and off the ball and still be able to distribute.
"He just can do that. His shot selection is great. He’s just in a nice rhythm now, and it’s nice to see him being celebrated for the type of player, and the type of person and the type of leader he is."
Surpassing a North Carolina great like Michael Jordan on the scoring charts is a great launching point for any basketballer. The next challenge for RJ Davis will be leading the Tar Heels to a national championship.
