CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Editor's note: The attached video is Bacot speaking after UNC beat Duke in the 2022 Final Four.
University of North Carolina big man Armando Bacot said he's coming back for his senior year. He announced the news Wednesday with a Twitter video captioned "Tar Heel forever."
Bacot set an ACC record last season with 31 double-doubles. The number tied an NCAA record set by Navy's David Robinson during the 1985-86 season.
UNC fell just short of winning the national championship earlier in April. The Tar Heels lost to the Kansas Jayhawks 72-69. They had a 15-point lead at halftime.
Bacot had to leave the title game with less than a minute left after re-aggravating an ankle injury he suffered against Duke in the Final Four.
"I want the opportunity to play in those big games, to keep Carolina on that national stage and to do what Coach [Hubert] Davis has talked about since his first day on the job, put another banner in the Smith Center," Bacot said in the video.
Bacot averaged 15.3 points and 16.5 rebounds throughout the tournament. He's the only player in NCAA history to record a double-double in all six March Madness games.
"My Carolina story isn't finished just yet," Bacot said in the video. "Next season starts right now."
The basketball team also announced the news on Instagram Wednesday. The post models the release former Tar Heel great Michael Jordan shared when he came out of NBA retirement.
"Armando is the perfect example of what a Carolina player strives to be," Davis said in a statement. "He has excelled at the highest level as a player, in the classroom and in the community. I loved hearing the news yesterday that he made the Academic All-ACC team after the season he had, which wasn’t just good, and not just great, it was historic. I felt he was the best player in ACC and the best big man in the country."
Davis also said Bacot felt coming back would put him in the best position to succeed in the NBA when he turns pro.
Three other starters from last year's team can return next season. Caleb Love, RJ Davis and Leeky Black have yet to finalize their plans for the 2022-23 season.