Former North Carolina basketball star Armando Bacot went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. But, he didn't have to wait long and he ended up signing an Exhibit 1o deal with the Utah Jazz.
Bacot was a force to reckon with in North Carolina, and he recently revealed the eye-popping amount of money he made during his days with the Tar Heels (h/t Run Your Race and Tidal League).
“I didn't know what I was doing…2 million plus. That speaks on the brand of Carolina…If you go to Carolina, you handle business, you go out there and play…It pays. I can never say a bad word about Carolina. I got life-changing money in college just off playing basketball. That's why I'm forever thankful for Carolina, the brand. To be able to make over $2 million dollars in college is crazy.”
The days of NIL in college sports are set to make this a normal thing for star athletes such as Bacot and blue blood programs such as North Carolina. Bacot played five seasons at North Carolina and was a staple on the floor for years in Chapel Hill. Bacot averaged 14.3 PPG this past season with 10.2 rebounds as North Carolina lost to Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen.
He was a part of the 2022 NCAA Tournament runner-up team that lost to the Kansas Jayhawks and finished his North Carolina basketball career with plenty of accolades, including two First-Team All-ACC honors and a spot on the ACC All-Defensive Team this past season.
Armando Bacot's admission is a reality for college sports
After the 2022-2023, season, Bacot was debating whether or not to enter the NBA Draft, He averaged 15.9 PPG with 10.4 rebounds that season and had drawn plenty of buzz from NBA scouts and talent evaluators. Instead, Bacot decided to return to North Carolina for one more year.
It seemed like a bit of a surprise, but after Bacot revealed how much he made at North Carolina, it makes more sense. Bypassing big money to go to the NBA and fight for a roster spot is a big risk, especially with the amount of money players make in the G League.
For example, Illinois star Coleman Hawkins bypassed the NBA Draft to play one more year of college. After entering the transfer portal, Hawkins landed at Kansas State with a record-breaking NIL deal worth $2 million.
The Kentucky basketball program also received $4 million in NIL funding following Mark Pope being hired as John Calipari's replacement, so the NIL landscape is booming in college sports. Players such as Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning are the big winners in NIL for this upcoming football season as they try and improve their draft stock going forward.
It took a long time for the NIL bill to pass and be allowed in college sports, but Armando Bacot's stunning amount earned during his North Carolina days is quite something, especially since it was at the beginning of the NIL movement. Whether people like it or not, college stars are in line to make millions, just like Armando Bacot did.
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