Armando Bacot is one of the greatest players to ever suit up for the North Carolina Tar Heels, and that’s saying a lot, considering the rich history of the school’s basketball program. He may have not led UNC to a national title, but he gave it his all for the team.
He nearly left Chapel Hill for another school, though.
North Carolina Tar Heels legend Armando Bacot shares surprising story
In a recent appearance on former Tar Heels star Theo Pinson’s podcast “Run Your Race (h/t On3),” Bacot revealed that he had plans of leaving North Carolina after his second year with the team, with Roy Williams deciding to retire.
“I was going to transfer after my sophomore year,” Bacot said. “I had a great year but Coach Williams had left. He said he was leaving on April Fools but I kind of had an idea before.”
Bacot also said that he was thinking of moving to VCU.
“I was going to go to VCU,” Bacot revealed. “Which is crazy to think. I would have gone crazy in the A-10 too.”
But Bacot ultimately stayed at North Carolina, with Hubert Davis convincing him to keep donning Tar Heels colors. Davis, of course, succeeded Williams as the Tar Heels head coach.
“Coach Davis recruited me, the guy who always had a hand on my shoulder was I was down, always encouraging me. So Coach Davis said he was coming, it was a wrap. I knew I was staying at Carolina.”
In five years with the Tar Heels, Bacot averaged a double-double of 13.9 points and 10.1 rebounds across 168 games.
He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft but the Utah Jazz inked him to an Exhibit 10 deal.
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