Great post ...and congratulations on the name change. Not an easy feat.Just as Coach Williams didn't deal with certain "handlers" in recruiting, it seems Coach Davis has (for the time being, at least) drawn a line in the sand with regards to behaviors with which he feels comfortable in this nascent NIL era. I think it's an informed calculation, though -- not him being obstinate simply for the sake of it, or necessarily solely a sign of not having sufficient funds (though I assume this could be a factor, I confess that the willy-nilly nature of the changes in landscape bum me out enough that I don't want to spend my time deep-diving on all the particulars of NIL collectives, whether ours or anyone else's.)
Basically, I look at UNC's recruiting patterns over the last several cycles (swings, misses, hits, pick-ups) and see the template for a certain sales pitch. Coach Davis, I feel, is selling both direct value (NIL opportunities) and a strong assortment of ancillary remuneration that has always been a big part of the UNC "brand." It's frustrating that (to acknowledge point made above) kids vetted as a good culture fit then -- along with their families -- don't necessarily seem to be responding to that message.
But Coach Davis is smart enough to adjust, and has already shown a successful ability in the past to identify transfer talent. So when he and the staff do a post-mortem on the '25 cycle, they'll have to be honest enough to identify commonalities in missed targets, and tweak things moving forward.
I'm certain, for example, that Coach Davis already savvy enough that if/when he feels UNC is simply being used to "bid up" a kid's NIL package, he starts proactively looking elsewhere; it's not incredibly difficult to discern, through questions both asked and unasked, when a kid's interest is surface-level. The 5* "NBA-lock" talents are great, and I'm not naive enough to say UNC doesn't need some of them to sustain itself. But Coach Davis's preferred message (rooted in being not just an alum, but one who had to "prove" himself in his recruitment, and then a player who went on to considerable success in the NBA) ultimately may just end up finding more receptive ears in 4* HS talent, and portal transfers who've had to prove themselves and/or have had breakouts and are looking to "trade up."