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UNC Basketball duo earn CBS Sports Preseason All-America honors

By Nick Delahanty

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 02: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts in the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 02: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts in the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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A pair of UNC basketball standouts have been named to CBS Sports’ Preseason All-American teams heading into the 2022-2023 season.

In a recently released article, CBS Sports has tabbed two UNC basketball standouts as Preseason All-Americans heading into the upcoming season.

Traditionally, All-America teams are picked to incorporate five players who could play together on the same squad. However, with the three best returning players in college basketball being big men, this changed how CBS Sports put together this year’s teams.

Of course, Armando Bacot is one of those three big men that made them alter the way they create their Preseason All-American teams.

Bacot joins Drew Timme (Gonzaga), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Marcus Sasser (Houston), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA) as this year’s first-team selections.

"Another no-brainer on our First Team. CBS Sports was one of only two major outlets to award Bacot as an end-of-season All-American in 2021-22 when he made our Third Team. A significant reason why was his elevated play in the NCAA Tournament. In guiding UNC to the title game, Bacot made history by becoming the first player in tournament history to have a double-double in six tournament games. He averaged 16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. His 31 double-doubles tied for the most in a season in NCAA history. Carolina will try to win a title with Bacot as its centerpiece. — Matt Norlander"

The other Tar Heel to earn Preseason All-American honors is guard Caleb Love, who was named to CBS Sports’ second-team. Love is joined by Trayce Jackson Davis (Indiana), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), Kendric Davis (Memphis), and Nick Smith (Arkansas) on this unit.

"Love was a second-year supernova in the NCAA Tournament for North Carolina in its run all the way to the title game, scoring 30 in the Sweet 16 on UCLA and 28 in the Final Four vs. rival Duke. He remains the most microwaveable bucket-getter in the ACC entering his junior season and should continue to thrive for the Tar Heels playing in a more natural off-ball role next to backcourt mate RJ Davis. — Kyle Boone"

It’s no surprise that either player earned these honors, as both are expected to be among the nation’s best this upcoming season. With the new NIL rules in place, along with the desire to redeem last season’s national championship loss, the UNC basketball program benefits from having both players back for the 2022-2023 season.

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