Former March Madness hero lands deal with Western Conference team

Nov 5, 2021; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) on the court in the first half at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Having already selected Zach Edey in this year’s NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies are adding another former college standout to their frontcourt.

On Friday, the Grizzlies announced a number of free agent signings, including former North Carolina star Armando Bacot.

Bacot himself confirmed the news in a post to his social media page.

@memgrizz Blessed and thankful for the opportunity

— Armando Bacot Jr. (@iget_buckets35) September 6, 2024

The 24-year-old Bacot, who is reportedly getting an Exhibit 10 contract from the Grizzlies (one year for the league-minimum salary), went undrafted this year. While he was able to join Utah Jazz for Summer League, Bacot had yet to secure an actual NBA opportunity beyond that.

Bacot was a standout during his five-year career at UNC, earning multiple All-American selections and finishing up as the Tar Heels’ all-time leader in both games played and rebounds. On top of that, Bacot was a hero for North Carolina as they made it to the NCAA championship game in 2022, finishing with double-doubles during all six tournament contests.

In a recent interview, Bacot revealed how much he earned in NIL money over the course of his UNC career. Now he will be getting a chance to turn that into more thanks to this deal with the Grizzlies.