UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot signs with the Utah Jazz
After one of the most dominant five-year careers in NCAA history, former UNC basketball center Armando Bacot will sign his first professional contract with the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz are reportedly signing Bacot after the six-foot-ten big man went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. According to The Athletic, Bacot will be signing an Exhibit 10 contract, with the news coming just hours after the conclusion of the 2024 NBA draft.
The Utah Jazz are signing Armando Bacot to an Exhibit 10 contract, League Sources tell The Athletic. Bacot is a 6-10 big out of North Carolina. He had been one of the best players in college basketball
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 27, 2024
The Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary contract given to players that gives NBA teams the ability to convert the contract into a two-way deal, but only if they do it before the start of the regular season. This means Bacot could play for the Jazz’s G League team, the Salt Lake City Stars, with an opportunity to be pulled up for NBA games.
The all-time leading rebounder for North Carolina will join former Tar Heel Walker Kessler in Utah, who has been with the Jazz for the past two seasons.
Bacot joins former UNC forward Harrison Ingram as the only two UNC basketball players from the 2023-24 season to be picked up by an NBA team. Ingram was selected Thursday by the San Antonio Spurs with the 48th overall pick in the second round.
Harrison Ingram is selected 48th overall by the @spurs in the 2024 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2024
Watch the Second Round on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/nhWeUu9uvs
Bacot joins another familiar face: former Duke center Kyle Filipowski, who the Jazz drafted 32nd overall on Thursday.
As Ingram and Bacot prepare for the next step in their journeys, former Tar Heel forward Cormac Ryan remains a free agent after going undrafted, and will hopefully find a home soon.