UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot not an All-American, 247Sports says

UNC basketball’s Armando Bacot not being mentioned in the All-American conversation by 247Sports is an obvious snub.

Armando Bacot was one of college basketball’s most consistent front court players a season ago, averaging 12.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 63 percent from the floor. Those were all team-highs for North Carolina, and despite the fact that the Tar Heels weren’t very good and had an absolute log-jam in the painted area; that due to the excess of talented bigs and the lack of outside shooters.

He returned to North Carolina this season after mulling over entering his name in the 2021 NBA Draft. After going through the process, talking with NBA scouts and general managers, Bacot decided that at least one more go-round with the Tar Heels would benefit him before a leap to the professional level.

Now, he’s back on campus and begins the season as a slam dunk choice for first team All-ACC honors, and a dark horse candidate for conference Player of the Year. He’ll look to build on his solid sophomore season with a much more balanced UNC offensive attack that features multiple capable three-point shooters for the first time in a few years. Bacot should be able to work much more freely in the low post this season with fewer double-teams to deal with, as well as sagging defenders bunching the lane and hindering his game.

You’d think all of that would result in some kind of preseason recognition from a national standpoint, but 247Sports certainly doesn’t agree. Bacot didn’t receive a single vote for first or second team All-American. Make no mistake, the players listed among their first and second teams — and their honorable mentions that did receive votes — are all great players. They’ve all earned their place there. But I believe Bacot has, too, and to think that not a single member of 247Sports’ panel agreed with that is somewhat surprising.

But it’s also not going to change what Bacot is capable of, nor will it impact what I believe he will do for the Tar Heels this season; and that’s dominate. In fact, maybe the lack of respect and recognition is a good thing. After all, the big season that the national media was expecting out of former Tar Heel Garrison Brooks last season certainly didn’t come to fruition.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Armando Bacot, and the UNC basketball program as they prepare for their first and only preseason game against Elizabeth City State on Friday.