The UNC men’s basketball team signed two players to National Letters of Intent on Thursday, meaning both will be in Chapel Hill to play for the Tar Heels during the 2019-20 season.
Armando Bacot is a 6-foot-10-inch forward from Richmond, Virginia, who is currently playing his senior season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Bacot is the No. 17 overall recruit regardless of position according to ESPN, good enough to earn him the highly-coveted “five-star” designation.
“Armando has a chance to be a big-time player,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said, in a statement released by the school. “He had a wonderful summer. He was MVP of the championship team in the Peach Jam in the EYBL Championship.
“He’s long, can block shots, score inside, runs well, and has played in big games both in the summer and the state high school tournaments,” the coach added. “He loves the idea of being a Tar Heel. He’s comes from a great family. His parents are very interested in his developing not only in basketball but academically and socially.”
The other incoming recruit is 6-foot-1-inch point guard Jeremiah Francis from Pickerington Central High School in Pickerington, Ohio.
Francis was a high school teammate of current UNC sophomore forward Sterling Manley. He is not ranked among ESPN’s top 100 recruits, but is listed as the No. 3 overall player in the state of Ohio and No. 27 point guard overall.
“Jeremiah is a wonderful young man whom we identified several years ago and thought he would be a fantastic addition to our basketball family,” Williams said. “Unfortunately, since that time he’s had two knee surgeries and been unable to play, but we still love him and think he’s going to be a big-time addition to our program.
“When he is healthy he is a point guard who sets the table on both ends of the floor, is very good defensively, a powerful player who can take the ball to the basket, and make plays for himself and other people,” he continued. “He’s truly a leader on the floor. He is another young man who comes from a great family that has a basketball background.”
Photo via Todd Melet
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