Armando Bacot confesses that UNC wasn't his top choice during recruitment: "I hated Carolina" "Loved Jahlil Okafor"

After five years in Chapel Hill, former North Carolina star Armando Bacot declared for the 2024 NBA Draft and went undrafted. Afterward, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz.

Bacot went on to have a stellar career for blue bloods, the North Carolina Tar Heels, over his five-year stint there. He finished his career with the program record for rebounds and double-doubles registered in 171 games played.

During an episode of "Run Your Race," Bacot revealed that his association with the Tar Heels was tenuous at best when he was younger and that he supported one of North Carolina's greatest rivals as a child.

“Committing to Carolina for me was crazy because a lot of people don’t know this but I grew up a Duke fan,” Armando Bacot said. “You can go to my Facebook, it has surfaced on Twitter a little bit but there’s pictures of me, I went to the Duke basketball camp, everything. I grew up a Duke fan. I loved Jhalil Okafor, Jabari Parker, those were my two favorite players.

“So I grew up a Duke fan, I hated Carolina. But I had some what allegiance to them because Ed Davis went there. Kenny Williams was from Richmond, I was a young bull when he was coming up so I watched him a little bit. But even committing to Carolina for me was like out of nowhere."

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Armando Bacot gets Exhibit 10 contract after college riches

Most student-athletes have to adapt to the new realities of professional basketball after making a lot of money during their college sports careers, and Armando Bacot is no different.

During his appearance on the "Run Your Race" podcast, Bacot revealed just how much he made while playing for the Tar Heels.

“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,” Armando Bacot said.

An Exhibit 10 contract is offered to prospects who go undrafted with a one-year term and a minimum salary. The franchise has the option to make it a two-way deal before the regular season tips off should they decide to.

Armando Bacot is in line to appear for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Utah Jazz's G-League team.