Forward Armando Bacot plans to return to UNC’s men’s basketball program for his junior season.

Bacot shared a tweet on Monday, saying “Let’s run it back,” to the UNC program’s Twitter page. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein said minutes before that Bacot also confirmed the plans to him on Monday.

Bacot had entered the NBA Draft process to gather feedback on his game, but will withdraw his name from consideration. The Richmond, Virginia native led the Tar Heels in scoring and rebounds in the 2020-2021 season, with 12.3 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game.

First-year head coach Hubert Davis indicated his belief that Bacot would remain with the Carolina men’s basketball program when speaking on Rothstein’s podcast in May. Social media from the program also showed videos of Bacot working out and scrimmaging with UNC players this summer.

Davis also shared comments Monday night on Bacot’s official announcement of his return to the program.

“I’m ecstatic. Number one, I am really happy he went through the process. We completely support that. We want our guys to have two basketball goals. One is to have the experience of cutting down the nets and being the last team standing on that final Monday night of the season. We also want them to reach all their dreams and goals, and their dreams and goals are to play in the NBA. We 100 percent supported Armando’s pursuit to see where he stood right now in terms of going to the NBA, and we support that for all of our players.

“I’m thankful Armando got an opportunity to work out with some teams and he played off-the-charts great. As much as I am pleased that he was able to go through the process and flourish in that process, I am just as ecstatic that he is coming back to Carolina. I recruited him in high school, helped coach him the last two seasons and couldn’t ask for anything better than to be around him as a head coach. He’s our team leader, our captain, he’s worked extremely hard, he’s our leading returning scorer and rebounder, and for us to have a chance next year we need to have someone like Armando.”

Bacot earned third-team All-ACC and first-team All-ACC Tournament honors during his sophomore season at UNC.

Photo via the Maui Invitational.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Related Stories
‹
Report: Buffalo Transfer Angelo Brizzi Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Angelo Brizzi, who spent the 2025-26 season with Buffalo, reportedly committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the transfer portal Wednesday. Inside Carolina first reported the news. UNC will be Brizzi’s fifth school in five years. The guard began his career at Villanova in 2022 – entering college in the same class […]
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 Season
As Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
Former UNC Player Ed Davis Among Several Indicted in NBA Gambling Scandal
Ed Davis, who played for the UNC men’s basketball team from 2008 through 2010 and helped the Tar Heels win the 2009 national title, is among six former NBA players who are being charged with conspiracy, bribery and money laundering as the result of a federal investigation. An indictment published Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s […]
Check out the Full Schedule for UNC's ACC Network Takeover
The ACC Network will air a full day of UNC games from the 2025-26 academic year Wednesday, July 1. It’s part of a series of ACC Network Takeovers, which started June 24 and include all 18 member schools. UNC’s takeover includes wall-to-wall coverage from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The broadcast day gets underway with […]
Chansky's Notebook: What Happened to Henri?
Blame Henri Veesaar's baffling slide in the NBA Draft on the muddled way the league and its agents do business.
The Morning News: Crisis Diversion Facility, Learfield Director's Cup, UNC-NC State Basketball
In today's news: Orange County moves ahead on a new Crisis Diversion Facility, and UNC finishes fourth in the Learfield Director's Cup.
UNC Men's Basketball to Face Illinois in Nashville Hoops Showdown in January
UNC is adding another high-level non-conference matchup to its 2026-27 schedule. The Tar Heels will face Illinois in the Nashville Hoops Showdown on Saturday, Jan. 30. The matchup has been confirmed by both programs and by Bridgestone Arena, which will host the game. Tar Heels 🆚 Fighting Illini in Nashville pic.twitter.com/UuhExCctMB — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) […]
UNC's Henri Veesaar Drafted by Los Angeles Clippers, Traded to Atlanta Hawks
Henri Veesaar is league-bound. The seven-foot center, who spent the 2025-26 season with UNC after committing to the Tar Heels out of the transfer portal, was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 52 overall pick in the NBA Draft, who then traded that pick to the Atlanta Hawks. Veesaar spent the first […]
Carolina and Chicago Fans React Online to Caleb Wilson Being Drafted by Bulls
UNC fans took to social media shared their excitement and appreciation for Caleb Wilson on Tuesday, while several Chicago Bulls fans did too.
UNC's Caleb Wilson Selected by Chicago Bulls with No. 4 Overall Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
Caleb Wilson is headed to the Windy City. The Chicago Bulls selected the star UNC freshman forward with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of Tuesday’s NBA Draft. Wilson is the highest-picked Tar Heel in the NBA Draft since Marvin Williams went No. 2 overall to the Atlanta Hawks in 2005. Carolina […]
›