'He’s a dog, he’s a killer, he works hard': RJ Davis' rise from New York Gauchos to dominance in the ACC

Before RJ Davis was known for his sharp shooting and subsequent 3-point goggle celebration, he played with goggles. They were corrective glasses for his astigmatism. That was until middle school when, one day, Davis decided to take them off for good. It was a “cool factor” thing. 

It was one small way for Davis to prove himself. To prove he was tough. To prove he was a true New York City hooper. To prove he belonged.

Venessa Davis, his mother, jokes she was worried about the decision impacting Davis’ eyesight. But he soon proved her wrong — his eyesight got better. A trip to the eye doctor proved it, a new diagnosis backing Davis’ self-prescribed vindication. To this day, Davis doesn’t wear contacts.

So was Davis being stubborn?

“I don’t know if I would say stubborn,” Venessa Davis told The Daily Tar Heel. “I would say persistent.”

Davis’ persistence is now paying off in a big way. The senior guard who was left off the ACC preseason list — the first and second team — is now essentially a lock for the conference player of the year. Davis is averaging over 21 points per game. UNC, with Davis in the driver’s seat, is seated comfortably atop the ACC as the Tar Heels look ahead to the conference tournament.

But the keys weren’t always handed to Davis. He had to grind to get there.

“I feel like this has been the story of my whole life — just always being left off,” Davis told reporters after UNC’s exhibition win against Saint Augustine’s. “That’s always been something that’s added fuel to my fire.”

'He was always tough'

When Davis was in sixth grade, he tried out for a spot on the New York City-based Gauchos Amateur Athletic Union team. The program has a storied history — it has produced over a dozen NBA hoopers, including Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving. 

Davis — a small, goggle-wearing 10-year-old from Westchester County, wasn’t exactly the typical player on the Gauchos squad. Nevertheless, he walked into the gym on a Saturday and played with confidence and raw talent, impressing head coach Tommy Swinton so much that he awarded Davis a starting spot on the team immediately.  

“Even at 10 years old, he was a special kid,” Swinton said. “He was a tough kid, he was always tough.” 

By Wednesday, Davis had gotten on a plane headed to AAU Nationals to represent the team.

In the air, his mom told him he had to do everything if he wanted to stay on the court. He had to rebound, shoot, assist, defend — he had to prove himself. 

He did. But he wasn't done yet. He still had to prove that he had NYC basketball in his blood. 

So, he began to play in streetball tournaments with the Gauchos. 

One day, there was an announcer calling the game. 

“I was getting buckets, like back-to-back plays, I was killing the whole game,” Davis said. “And as he was announcing the game, he was calling me the milkman because I was always delivering.” 

It was his first bit of street cred, and it was a testament to his mindset and hard work. 

“RJ Davis is one of those guys, as he got older, he just got better every year in his craft,” Swinton said.

'It's always been his mindset'

At Archbishop Stepinac High School, RJ Davis was that guy. 

“Night-in, night-out he brought it,” former teammate Sam Gibbs said. “He was the toughest competitor on the floor, while often being one of the smallest people, and he did it consistently again and again.” 

In his time playing for the Crusaders, he forged some of his tightest relationships while also continuing to hone his craft. 

He met Matt Brand, who to this day is still a close friend, at his first-ever practice for the team. In the beginning, they didn't get along, both vying over a coveted spot on varsity. But slowly, the two grew closer, bonding over chicken cutlet sandwiches at Roosters Market and their shared love for the game. 

By senior year, they were best friends. 

“I’ve never met someone with the mindset and the confidence and the security in himself, that no matter what happened the previous game or the previous day, he comes back and he’s successful and he does what he needs to do, and it’s always been his mindset,” Brand said. “He’s a dog, he’s a killer, he works hard and that's truly what separates him.” 

Despite his strong performances, mindset and the two state championships he won, he was still consistently overlooked in national rankings. It wasn't until his senior year that Davis began to draw attention, being selected as a McDonald's All-American and committing to play at UNC. 

Finally, he had proven himself. 

During his senior night at Stepinac, Roy Williams and Hubert Davis were seated courtside to watch their new recruit play. It wasn’t Davis that had a career night, however — it was Brand. 

The whole game RJ was cheering him on to reach 30, and when he did, he jumped on top of him, grinning from ear to ear. 

“That right there is a moment that solidifies who RJ is,” Brand said.

He encourages his teammates — his friends — and pushes them to be better all while continuing to improve himself. 

“If you got RJ with you, you’ve got a chance to win,” high school coach Patrick Massaroni said.

'He really cares'

After UNC’s win over N.C. State on Saturday, Davis finally found a moment of calm. As Seth Trimble and Jae’Lyn Withers put up shots in the otherwise vacant Dean E. Smith Center, Davis leaned over a table in the player’s lounge while his mom, Venessa, rubbed his back.

Simply put, he was tired.

Davis is disciplined. His parents brag he’s always had good habits. Even as a kid, he tracked his assignments, took diligent notes and, due to a busy basketball schedule, always worked ahead on his school assignments. 

But with that much pressure comes strain. His father, Robert, recalls RJ Davis calling Venessa last month — ”I’m stressed out. I got a big test.”

“He really cares about doing well,” Venessa said.

And with Senior Night on Tuesday, emotions are high. It’s been a roller coaster few years for Davis, who has played in empty stadiums, battled in a national title game and missed the tournament entirely. 

But now, according to Davis, the No. 7 Tar Heels are back.

“We’re back to who we were,” he said. 

While Davis isn’t solely responsible for this renaissance, he’s been the driver. The same persistence that drove him to rip off his goggles has driven him and the Tar Heels to the top of the ACC.

And it’s a work ethic that, if you ask Massaroni, will continue to serve Davis in the future.

“He’s worked so hard for where he’s at,” Massaroni said. “I tell people all the time, I’m not sure if he gets drafted, and I’m not sure we see him in the NBA in the immediate [future]. But he will end up in the NBA and have success because that’s what he does.”

Grace Nugent contributed reporting to this story.

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