CHAPEL HILL — When Hubert Davis After finishing his Q&A session Tuesday at the ACC Tipoff, he stepped away from the podium — but not for long.
The next step was Seth Trimble.
“Let’s go, Seth,” Davis called, pretending to be serious with a playful smile on his face.
As Trimble approached the microphone, Davis lingered. He leaned toward the microphone.
“Ask him about Ben & Jerry’s,” he joked, eliciting a smile from Trimble and laughter from the crowd.
Davis finally made his way to his seat – or so it seemed. Before sitting down, he turned back to the podium.
“If you need dairy-free options, there aren’t any,” he said, referring to the ice cream restaurant that Trimble recently acquired ownership of. Then, with a smile, he walked over and playfully punched Trimble on the chest.
“You’re lying to all these people,” Trimble replied with a laugh. “He’s lying to all of you. Don’t believe him. He actually didn’t do it.”
Davis burst into laughter as he signed off. Next door, new transfer center Henri Veesaar watched everything unfold, laughing with a wide, amused smile.
It may have seemed like a light, throwaway, goofy moment – but it spoke volumes.
Moments like this – relaxed, playful and authentic – reveal how different this year’s events are. North Carolina the team feels. Davis described last year’s team as “quiet.” The 2025-26 Tar Heels are already louder, looser and much more connected. This chemistry doesn’t just manifest itself in media appearances: it becomes a defining element of how this group interacts on and off the field.
“They’re very vocal and feisty. It’s been fun coaching that and seeing that and hearing that,” Davis said. “When you have a vocal team at each end of the room, it’s a team that has a good relationship. I like the noise, I like the voices that I hear in rehearsals.”
This energy is not limited to the courtroom. The players have become very close to each other. Luka Bogavacwho has only been in Chapel Hill since Aug. 13, is spending quality time away from basketball with his teammates while continuing to get to know them.
Trimble said he enjoyed spending time with Bogavac, trying to get the Montenegro native accustomed to American culture. Trimble described Bogavac as “unintentionally funny”.
“He plays a song that no one would think they would know. And then he’s just sitting there, smiling, nodding his head and we’re all cheering him on.”
Freshman Derek Dixon he said, fellow first year Caleb Wilson and second year student Ivan Matlekovic spend a lot of time together on the go.
“Ivan is a really funny guy. He’s not a man who talks a lot, but he’s always willing to go wherever we go with Caleb,” Dixon said. “(We) just call him, knock on his door and he’s there. It’s been really good getting to know him and his different perspectives and worldviews. It’s been a lot of fun.”
To try to get closer to his players, Davis has a well-known rule. He asks everyone on the team to stop by his office at least once a week to talk about anything non-basketball related: life, advice, school or whatever is on their mind.
It’s something Veesaar is getting used to, and something he hasn’t done much of; however, he is already enjoying the time he spends in Davis’ office.
“When you walk into his office, off the field, he talks to you like an equal. You can make fun of him; he’ll make fun of you. We just poke fun at each other. It’s just a great relationship to have. You build a trust that carries over to the field.”
While the team chemistry won’t make getting the ball through the basket any easier, it will certainly give them an advantage heading into the season. And if Davis’ playful hits are any indication, this season the Tar Heels could be loud in every way. Only time will tell.
