R.J. Davis
R.J. Davis, born October 21, 2001, in White Plains, New York, is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 2020 to 2025. Listed at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) and 182 lb (83 kg), or sometimes 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and 165 lb (75 kg), Davis played as a point guard or shooting guard. He attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York.
During his collegiate career at North Carolina, Davis performed consistently well. In the 2022-23 season, he averaged 16.1 points per game (PPG), starting 32 of 33 games played. His field goal percentage (FG%) was .438, free throw percentage (FT%) was .881, and three-point percentage (3P%) was .362. He also averaged 3.2 assists per game (APG) and 35.0 minutes per game (MPG). In the 2023-24 season, his performance improved, averaging 21.2 PPG, with .428 FG%, .873 FT%, and .398 3P%. He started all 37 games, averaging 3.5 APG and 34.8 MPG. His senior year, 2024-25, saw him average 17.2 PPG, with .413 FG%, .873 FT%, and .354 3P% in 37 starts, averaging 3.6 APG and 34.2 MPG. For his career at North Carolina, he averaged 15.6 PPG, 3.2 APG, and 32.4 MPG in 175 games played and 155 games started.
Davis accumulated several accolades during his college tenure. In 2024, he was a consensus First-Team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, First-Team All-ACC, and received the Jerry West Award. He was also named to the Second-Team All-ACC in 2025. Early in his career, he was recognized as a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic participant, and Mr. New York Basketball in 2020. As a recruit, he was highly regarded, with Rivals ranking him 52nd, 247Sports ranking him 60th, and ESPN ranking him 43rd.
In the 2025 NBA draft, R.J. Davis went undrafted. However, he began his professional career in 2025. Recently, on October 19, 2025, the Los Angeles Lakers waived Davis along with three other players: Augustas Marčiulionis, Anton Watson, and Nate Williams. Davis and Marčiulionis had originally signed with the Lakers on July 26, 2025. Despite being waived, Davis is expected to join the South Bay Lakers, the team’s G League affiliate, indicating a continued path in professional basketball.
