Armando Bacot: The Newest Tar Heel
Despite announcing earlier this summer that he will be spending his final season at IMG Academy in Florida, 2019 Armando Bacot has been at the top of our class rankings since he was a freshman at Trinity Episcopal.
Rated as one of the top 20 players in the country by a number of sources, the Virginia born and bred big man has had one heck of a career. He won a state championship as a sophomore, won a gold medal at the FIBA U18 Americas this summer and he won a Peach Jam Title this summer with Team Takeover.
That winning attitude is something you get used to and never want to lose, and it makes sense in his choice for college. One of the most skilled and talented bigs in the country, Bacot was recruited by almost everybody, but he recently cut his list to UNC, Duke, VCU, Georgia and Oklahoma State.
After a lot of debating, Bacot has made his decision, as he announce his plans to attend the University of North Carolina of the ACC next year. The Tar Heels have been recruiting Bacot since he was just a freshman, and that persistence is the big reason that he chose them.
“The coaches showed great loyalty to me,” Bacot said about making his decision. “I feel like their plan for me was the best. They want me to come in and produce right away and they feel like I’m a pro.”
Bacot has been making waves in VA since he was a freshman.If you look at it, UNC is about as good a fit as you can get for a big man with his skill set. They play a slower tempo than many schools do now a days, and they make a concerted effort to feed their big men and work inside-out, which really is Bacot’s strength. He’ll have ample opportunity to score in the half court and he’ll be able to find shooters for easy shots as well.
As for his goals at UNC, it’s simple. Win, and hopefully get out soon.
“I’m focused on winning a national championship in 2020 when I get there,” he said. “I do feel like if I win and play at a high level, I could possibly be a one-and-done guy.”
It wasn’t easy for Bacot however, as he had built relationships with a lot of coaches who had been recruiting him since he started high school.
“The hardest part was telling all the other schools who recruited me so hard that I won’t be going there.”
Their loss is UNC’s gain, who have been stepping it up big time in recruiting over the past three years. They have two freshmen coming in who will have an opportunity to go to the pros very early in McDonald’s All Americans Coby White and Nassir Little, and Bacot is just the beginning to a class they’re hoping can duplicate that.
As far as what he believes he can bring to the table, Bacot’s background speaks for itself, and he believes it can continue in college and beyond to the NBA.
“I bring a winning culture to whatever program I go to. I love to win and know how to win.”
A big get for the Tar Heels, expect Bacot to have a big senior season down at IMG and come in and compete for a starting position right away at UNC.