Who Should Be The Next UNC Basketball Coach? + Is Jon Scheyer A Choker? + Is Justin Gainey The Right Guy For NC State?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the UNC men’s basketball coaching search, the hiring of Justin Gainey at NC State and whether he’s the right fit to lead the Wolfpack and the debate over Jon Scheyer’s “choker” label versus Jay Williams’ defense of his record and March Tournament performance.

Following the departure of Hubert Davis, UNC launched a high-profile search for its next men’s basketball head coach, aiming to continue the program’s tradition of excellence. The search has focused on candidates with proven NCAA Tournament experience, strong recruiting ties and the ability to maintain the Tar Heels’ winning culture. If you're Billy Donovan, do you leave the NBA for the UNC job? Who will be the next UNC men's basketball coach?

NC State moved quickly to stabilize its men’s basketball program after Will Wade’s sudden departure by hiring Justin Gainey as the 22nd head coach. Gainey, a 49‑year‑old NC State alumnus and former Wolfpack guard (1996-2000), spent the past five seasons as an assistant and associate head coach under Rick Barnes at Tennessee, where he helped the Volunteers reach multiple deep NCAA Tournament runs. Gainey’s deep ties to the school—as a player, early‑career coach, and respected recruiter—made him an attractive choice to lead the team into a new era and bring continuity and enthusiasm after a turbulent coaching change.  Is Gainey the right choice? Was there a better option?

Many college basketball fans have labeled Jon Scheyer, head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, a “choker” after a couple of high‑profile NCAA Tournament collapses — most recently blowing a large lead late in an Elite Eight loss to UConn. Critics argue that repeated near‑misses in March feed a narrative that his teams falter under pressure despite strong regular seasons and talent. In response to that chatter, former Duke star and ESPN analyst Jay Williams pushed back strongly on social media and video, calling the “choker” label laughable, noting Scheyer’s excellent overall record, multiple Elite Eight/Four runs, ACC titles, and the difficulty of winning a national championship — and said equating success solely with cutting down the nets ignores context and history in coaching careers. Jay Williams says Jon Scheyer is not a choker. Is he right?