UNC Tar Heels big man Armando Bacot suits up for one last dance

UNC big man Armando Bacot has announced his decision to return to the team for one more season in 2023.

North Carolina big man Armando Bacot is planning to return for one more season, using his last year of eligibility to try and make up for this past season’s disappointments.

Bacot put together yet another impressive campaign in 2022, averaging 15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds a game, and he broke a few records in the process, including surpassing Michael Jordan on the program’s all-time scoring list.

As the holder of UNC’s all-time rebounding and double-double records, there’s no question that Bacot serves as the beating heart of the Tar Heels’ basketball team; out of all the players, he was usually the most vocal in post-game conferences and provided reporters with his eloquent reflections on the season.

Now, Bacot will enter his fifth season at North Carolina and look to end his college career on a high note, one much higher than missing the NCAA Tournament, anyway.

UNC’s Armando Bacot will play a fifth season for Chapel Hill

In Bacot’s announcement on Wednesday, he said he felt this was “the right decision for my future” and made it clear that he’s not done playing college ball yet.

The versatile big man played a key role in North Carolina’s NCAA championship run in 2022, ousting Duke in Coach K’s last game and falling just short of winning the title against Kansas.

With most of their star talent returning this past season, the Tar Heels were ranked first in preseason but ultimately missed the tournament altogether for a host of different reasons. Their 3-point shooting wasn’t up to par. Their squad somehow lacked chemistry and cohesion despite retaining the same players in Leaky Black, R.J. Davis, and Caleb Love.

Bacot himself enjoyed a fairly productive season and dominated in the paint, but when opponents double- or triple-teamed him, North Carolina couldn’t make buckets beyond the arc and lost critical games.

Can the Tar Heels change the narrative this year? Getting a consistent player and vocal leader like Bacot back is a step in the right direction, but the program still has plenty of work to do.