UNC basketball forward [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag] earned more honors ahead of the 2022-23 season on Friday as he was named to the Kareem Adbul-Jabbar Watch List.
The award is given to the top center in basketball at the end of the season.
Bacot joins Caleb Love, Leaky Black and Pete Nance on preseason award watch lists.
Bacot, a preseason All-American, returns to North Carolina after having a terrific junior year campaign. Despite being snubbed as ACC Player of the Year last year, it was clear he was the most important in the conference.
As a junior, Bacot averaged 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. He also recorded 31 double-doubles, tying an NCAA record. He also became the first player in NCAA Tournament history with six double-doubles in one NCAA Tournament.
Below is the full list of nominees.
2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates
Charles Bediako – Alabama
Oumar Ballo – Arizona
PJ Hall – Clemson
Ryan Kalkbrenner – Creighton
Dereck Lively II – Duke
Colin Castleton – Florida
Osun Osunniyi – Iowa State
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Hunter Dickinson – Michigan
Armando Bacot – North Carolina
Moussa Cissé – Oklahoma State
Kel’el Ware – Oregon
Zach Edey – Purdue
Clifford Omoruyi – Rutgers
Fardaws Aimaq – Texas Tech
Adem Bona – UCLA
Adama Sanogo – UConn
Branden Carlson – Utah
Jamarion Sharp – Western Kentucky
Jack Nunge – Xavier
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