Armando Bacot Exemplifies Transfer Portal Era By Immediately Recruiting To UNC After Announcing Return For Fifth Year

Armando Bacot is returning to North Carolina for his fifth year of eligibility. The 23-year-old announced his decision on Wednesday afternoon and it goes well beyond NIL opportunties.

Armando Bacot Is NOT Returning To UNC Just Because Of NIL Money As He Embraces Old Age With Need To Prove NBA Worth

Although financial stability certainly helps college athletes stay in school instead of rushing to get a professional paycheck, Bacot needs to improve his NBA Draft stock and didn’t want to leave Chapel Hill on a sour note. The Tar Heels did not make the NCAA Tournament in 2023 after reaching the national title game in 2022.

They were the first team to miss out on March Madness in the year after a national championship appearance. Ever.

To help avoid a similar fate in his fifth and final year of eligibility, Bacot is already recruiting. He tweeted out a pitch to players across the country globe less than 60 minutes after his return was announced.

Who trynna come play with me? dm me

— Armando Bacot Jr. (@iget_buckets35) March 22, 2023

College basketball programs look completely different from year to year in the transfer portal era more than ever before. As Rick Pitino alluded to in his opening press conference at St. John’s, there is an opportunity for immediate success with a brand new roster in year one.

Where recruiting used to require developing high school players, the transfer portal allows for that development period to take place at another school — often a mid-major. A player can go play at a lesser prominent program, get a feel for the game, ball out, and then transfer to a high major.

Armando Bacot is putting out his feelers.

A complete rebuild won’t be taking place at North Carolina. Much of the roster is already in tact.

• Bacot is a super senior and the team’s leading rebounder.
• Caleb Love is a senior and the team’s leading scorer.
• R.J. Davis is a senior and the team’s second-leading scorer.
• D’Marco Dunn is a four-star junior.
• Will Shaver is a three-star sophomore.
• Seth Trimble is a four-star sophomore.
• Jalen Washington is a four-star sophomore.
• Zayden High is a four-star freshman.
• Simeon Wilcher is a four-star freshman.

Although there is already a lot of talent set to return next season, head coach Hubert Davis has four scholarship spots open. He can add four immediate impact players through the transfer portal, should he so choose, and Bacot is sending out the bat signal.

His tweet to prospective teammates epitomizes everything about the modern era of college hoops. A star player is returning for a fifth season, making a solid chunk of money through NIL opportunities, and is recruiting transfer talent on his coach’s behalf. The game has changed, y’all better keep up!