The North Carolina Tar Heels got great news today with the announcement that North Carolina big man Armando Bacot will return for his senior season. While players like this would have probably gone the professional route in the past, NIL deals have changed things in that regard. Bacot was projected to go in the middle or end of the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft, but instead, he can return to college, get his degree, and get paid to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Armando Bacot’s decision to return to school is a prime example of why NIL — which was long overdue — should ultimately make college sports better.
Productive players can now return to college and make money if they’re not first-round picks instead of playing professionally. https://t.co/KDES4hu3i6
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 13, 2022
Armando Bacot’s junior season did not end the way he would have liked. An injury sidelined him for the end of the National Championship game against the Kansas Jayhawks and the Tar Heels ultimately did not pull out the victory in that game. That being said his junior year was stellar where the junior averaged 16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks per game this season. Bacot shot 56.9 percent from the field.
Tar Heel forever ?? pic.twitter.com/lBbbrb0hTT
— Armando Bacot Jr. (@iget_buckets35) April 13, 2022
Armando Bacot broke the ACC single-season double-double record set by Tim Duncan and tied the NCAA single-season double-double record set by David Robinson. He also became the first player to ever record a double-double in all six NCAA Tournament games in a single season. His return to North Carolina next year gives Head Coach Hubert Davis some serious firepower to work with in his second season as the Head Coach.
