Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Armando Bacot announces he’ll return to North Carolina after NCAA title game run
By ADAM ZAGORIA
North Carolina figures to once again be in the mix for a Final Four appearance in 2023 after junior big man Armando Bacot announced Wednesday he will return for his senior season.
“I’m back,” he announced, adding he wants to “put another banner in the Smith Center.”
The 6-foot-10 junior averaged 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds this past season and a was a major factor as the Tar Heels reached the NCAA championship game against Kansas.
He had six straight double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament, including a 20-point, 22-rebound outing against Saint Peter’s, an 11-point, 21-rebound night against Duke in the national semifinals and a 15-pound, 15-board performance on a bad ankle against Kansas in the title game.
He is one of only four players since 1985-86 to grab 500 rebounds in a single season. The others are Oscar Tshiebwe, Kenneth Faried and Blake Griffin.
The opportunity to make money via NIL helps players like Bacot remain in school instead of going pro when they are not guaranteed to be a first-round pick.
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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
