Duke basketball: New UNC head coach insults Blue Devils

No worries, for the UNC-Duke basketball rivalry shall continue to flourish.

According to a host of metrics — most notably, all-time wins and national titles by ACC schools — rookie UNC basketball chief Hubert Davis is accurate in his most basic personal view of the Duke basketball program.

Still, expressing it aloud equates to a name-calling insult, especially in the eyes of most Duke basketball devotees and in light of the snotty laughter that followed. Whether in jest or not, Davis is clearly already comfortable in dishing out fighting words as the 51-year-old prepares for his first season as a head coach in the world’s greatest rivalry.

Yet make no mistake: that’s a good thing.

Yes, as the shared disgust between the two neighboring bluebloods transitions into its next era, it’s critical, mainly for entertainment purposes, that some central figure sets the tone with a little smack talk.

A new face for Duke basketball fans to focus their fumes

So this week, Hubert Davis appeared on the MSG Network’s MSG PM with hosts Monica McNutt and Kazeem Famuyide to reflect on his playing days with the New York Knicks (1992-96). But the former Tar Heel guard (1988-92), who spent nine seasons as an assistant in Chapel Hill before succeeding Roy Williams on the throne in April, also agreed to answer some rapid-fire questions.

The last of those questions was this: “One word to describe Duke University?”

After seeming to struggle for a few seconds in summarizing all of his thoughts on the Blue Devils with just one word, Davis ultimately decided on a hyphenated adjective: “Second-place.”

Sure, Davis could have gone with “respect” or some other descriptor just for the sake of playing nice. However, Duke basketball diehards should appreciate the fact that he didn’t, for there wouldn’t be much fun in that.

Ironically, judging from all the early preseason projections, the Blue Devils are likely to be the favorite to finish first in the ACC standings next season under 42nd-year legend Mike Krzyzewski.

In this regard, chances are Hubert Davis and his Tar Heels will, at best, tip things off with the “second-place” name tag.