### Breaking News: Armando Bacot Teases UNC Return? ‘Haven’t Made a Decision’ Bombshell Leaves Tar Heels Fans in Limbo as 2025-26 Season Kicks Off
Chapel Hill, NC – November 5, 2025 – In a twist that has sent shockwaves through the heart of Tar Heel Nation, former UNC basketball star Armando Bacot hinted Tuesday at a potential return to the program, cryptically stating, “Haven’t made a decision” on whether he’ll lace up for a surprise sixth season. The 6-foot-11 forward, who exhausted his five years of eligibility after a decorated 2023-24 campaign, dropped the bombshell during an exclusive interview on “The Dan Patrick Show,” fueling rampant speculation amid UNC’s 2025-26 season opener. As the Tar Heels notched a gritty 78-65 win over Western Carolina last night—led by freshman phenom Ian Jackson’s 22 points—Bacot’s words have ignited debates: Is this a genuine pivot back to Chapel Hill, or masterful trolling from the NBA hopeful who’s been grinding through free agency workouts?
Bacot, now 26 and a free agent after going undrafted in June’s NBA Draft, has been a ghost in Tar Heel lore since his emotional farewell in March 2024. Back then, he etched his name into the rafters as UNC’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,715 career boards, including a staggering 593 offensive rebounds that still stand as program records. His 2,347 points placed him third on the all-time scoring list, just behind RJ Davis’s recent ascent to No. 2. Bacot’s double-double machine status—87 in his career—powered UNC to the 2022 national championship game, where he averaged 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds en route to the Final Four. Yet, after a 2023-24 season marred by a nagging ankle injury that limited him to 32 games (15.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG), Bacot tested the draft waters, only to find himself overlooked amid a loaded big-man class headlined by Purdue’s Zach Edey and UConn’s Donovan Clingan.
The interview snippet, aired just hours before tip-off at the Dean E. Smith Center, caught even host Dan Patrick off-guard. “Armando, you’ve been killing it in Summer League—double-doubles left and right for the 76ers’ squad. But UNC’s young guns look raw out there. Any chance you’re suiting up one more time? That extra eligibility from COVID could still be in play if you petition,” Patrick probed. Bacot paused, his trademark grin flashing across the screen, before replying, “Man, I love Chapel Hill. The fans, the runs to the title game… Haven’t made a decision yet. Coach Davis hit me up last week, said the door’s always open. But NBA’s the dream, you know?” The line went viral instantly, racking up over 500,000 views on X by halftime, with hashtags like #BacotBack and #TarHeelTroll trending nationwide.
For context, Bacot’s eligibility saga is no stranger to drama. He twice bypassed the NBA for Chapel Hill—first in 2022 after the championship heartbreak against Kansas, then in 2023 following a shocking NCAA Tournament snub despite preseason No. 1 hype. “I don’t want to leave this way,” he said then, echoing sentiments that now feel eerily prescient. NCAA rules, bolstered by the pandemic’s lingering waivers, allow for rare sixth-year petitions, especially for injury-shortened seasons like Bacot’s senior year. Precedents abound: Kansas’s Hunter Dickinson returned for a grad transfer fifth after a similar draft flirtation, and Duke’s Jeremy Roach pulled off a medical redshirt for extra time. Could Bacot, with his G League stints yielding 14.2 PPG and 11.8 RPG in sporadic 2025 outings, leverage a hardship waiver for UNC’s frontcourt woes?
Hubert Davis, UNC’s head coach and Bacot’s former teammate under Dean Smith, was coy post-game, his post-win presser turning into a Bacot symposium. “Armando’s family. He’s the heart of what we built—those rebounds in the paint, the leadership in ’22. If he calls, we answer. But right now, we’re focused on these kids: Jackson’s explosion, Powell’s defense. We’ve got Ven-Allen Lubin stepping up with 12 boards tonight.” Davis’s squad, ranked No. 8 in the preseason AP Poll, enters the year with promise but punchless inside. Transfers like Belmont’s Malik Dia (6-10, 12.5 PPG) and five-star freshman James Scott aim to fill the void, but Bacot’s hypothetical return would be seismic—a grizzled vet anchoring a title chase in a loaded ACC featuring Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Virginia’s Ryan Dunn.
Fan reactions poured in like a Carolina comeback. On X, @TarHeelBlueDevil tweeted, “BACOT BACK? That’s not a return, that’s a resurrection! Imagine him schooling freshmen in practice—RJ who?” while @HeelYeahPod countered, “Nah, let the kid chase rings in Philly. UNC’s era of bigs evolves—pass the torch.” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, a Duke alum with zero chill, chimed in: “Bacot’s UNC’s all-time glass cleaner. If he petitions, it’s a no-brainer. But the NBA clock ticks—G League’s his proving ground.” Bacot’s camp, reached by The Athletic, offered no further clarity, only noting his ongoing workouts with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic, where scouts praise his improved three-point stroke (35% in Summer League) but question his lateral quickness against speedier wings.
Delving deeper, Bacot’s indecision mirrors a broader crossroads in college hoops. The NIL era and transfer portal have blurred lines between campus loyalty and pro ambition, with stars like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and UConn’s Paige Bueckers opting for WNBA jumps post-eligibility. Bacot, who inked a $1.2 million NIL deal with Panini and Bojangles during his final year, could command seven figures more at UNC—endorsements from local heavyweights like Lowe’s and local car dealerships await. Yet, the NBA allure is potent: undrafted free agents like Memphis Grizzlies’ GG Jackson II parlayed G League dominance into rotation spots, and Bacot’s pedigree (two-time All-ACC, 2022 All-Tournament) positions him similarly. “It’s 50/50,” a source close to Bacot told CBS Sports. “He misses the pageantry—the Cameron Indoor boos, the Maui Invitational vibes. But Paul’s got a point: decisions like this define legacies.”
UNC’s history is littered with such what-ifs. Recall Tyler Hansbrough, who spurned early NBA entry for a fifth year in 2008-09, culminating in the national title and his perch as all-time leading scorer (2,872 points). Or Sam Perkins, whose 1982 championship run delayed his pro career but forged “Big Smooth” into a Hall of Famer. Bacot, already a UNC icon with his jersey No. 5 retired in effigy by fans, could chase Hansbrough’s scoring mark (he’s 525 points shy) or mentor Jackson into a McDonald’s All-American sequel. Opponents dread it: Duke coach Jon Scheyer texted Davis congratulations on the opener but privately lamented to staff, “If Bacot’s back, our paint’s toast.”
As the season unfolds—with road tests at Alabama and a Thanksgiving showdown versus Arkansas looming—Bacot’s limbo adds intrigue to every rebound scramble. Will he file the waiver by the NCAA’s December 15 deadline? Petition for medical relief on that ankle? Or sign a two-way NBA deal, closing the Chapel Hill chapter? For now, Tar Heels faithful cling to hope, chanting “Arman-do!” from the stands last night as if summoning a spirit. In a sport of fleeting glory, Bacot’s indecision is the ultimate cliffhanger: return for redemption, or bet on the Association? One thing’s certain—whatever the call, it’ll echo through Dean Dome for years.
In related ripples, Bacot’s tease coincides with UNC’s youth movement. Jackson, the No. 4-ranked freshman, dazzled with four threes, evoking a young Michael Jordan, while Drake Powell’s 15 points off the bench silenced doubters. But the frontcourt? Dia’s solid (8 points, 9 rebounds) but unproven; without Bacot, the Heels rank mid-tier in KenPom’s interior defense metrics. Recruiting whiz Hubert Davis has already leveraged the buzz, landing a commitment from 2026 big Jalen Riley, who cited Bacot as inspiration: “If Arm’s considering it, that’s the standard.”
Analysts weigh in heavy. On “College GameDay,” Rece Davis posited, “Bacot’s NBA ceiling is role player—think Jonas Valanciunas lite. At UNC, he’s a legend with a ring shot.” Seth Greenberg, ex-Virginia Tech coach, countered: “Portal’s full of transfers. Why not build around youth?” Off the court, Bacot’s philanthropy—his “Bacot’s Bunch” foundation donated $50K to Durham youth programs last month—endears him further, making a return feel like more than basketball.
As midnight strikes on this fateful November eve, Bacot’s words hang like a half-court heave: “Haven’t made a decision.” Tar Nation waits, breaths held, for the swish or the brick. In Chapel Hill, where legends are forged in uncertainty, this could be the spark that reignites a dynasty—or the farewell that cements one.
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