When you’re as good a basketball player as UNC center Armando Bacot, there’s going to be a ton of attention on you.
That includes both on the court from opposing players, plus off the court recognition from several watch lists and media outlets.
Bacot, already on the AP All-American and CBS Sports Preseason teams, was named to the Preseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List on Friday, Oct. 27.
Armando Bacot has been named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List 😤
🔗: https://t.co/5X9ZbomsFO pic.twitter.com/YOGVMKoO1T
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) October 27, 2023
Before we go into highlighting how good Bacot is, you need to know that Abdul-Jabbar was arguably the game’s greatest center. His entire accolades list, which could write an entire newspaper sports section, includes being a 6-time NBA champion and MVP.
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, fittingly, goes to the top center in college basketball.
When seemingly all else went wrong for the Tar Heels last season, Bacot was that one constant. He became Carolina’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,335) and double-doubles (68) last year. Outside of an injury at UVA on Jan. 10 and an offensive dud at Florida State on Feb. 27, Bacot scored in double-digits every game.
Whenever Bacot got the feed from Caleb Love, R.J. Davis or Leaky Black, teams doubled him. Carolina couldn’t shoot the outside shot worth a darn, so it made sense for opposing teams to focus extra on Bacot.
If UNC’s opponents decide to double Bacot, it’s going to cost them this year. Carolina has significantly better weapons in Elliot Cadeau, Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan, to name a few, who all shoot well from the perimeter.
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