University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Lucas: Bacot Always Learning
November 1, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Freshman big man gives Tar Heels more options.
By Adam Lucas
Players who sub out of the constantly moving Carolina basketball practice usually stand on the sideline, where they'll soon be reentered into the drill after a couple more repetitions.
Thursday afternoon at practice, freshman Armando Bacot subbed out of a halfcourt offense drill—and then walked straight to the midcourt line. As the drill proceeded, Bacot first got direct instruction from assistant coach Hubert Davis, then listened intently as Roy Williams explained a subtle nuance of the play that could've resulted in an easier shot for the rookie.
That's the kind of teaching that has characterized Bacot's first full month of Tar Heel basketball practice, which he'll display for the first time tonight at the exhibition game against Winston-Salem State.
"Since I've been here, Coach Williams has been very hands-on with me," Bacot says. "He has worked with me on my jump hook and he has really gotten out there with me. For such a legendary coach to actually get out on the court with me is amazing."
The head coach's interest is partially because the 6-foot-10 Bacot could give the Tar Heels something they haven't had consistently in the starting lineup since the 2017 team paired Kennedy Meeks with Isaiah Hicks—two legitimate post players. Garrison Brooks played center for much of last season, but Bacot's presence also gives the veteran more flexibility.
Of course, Bacot's existence on the roster doesn't necessarily guarantee he'll play major minutes. That will hinge on how quickly he picks up all the details of being a Tar Heel big man.
"It's been a challenge," the freshman says. "It's been a lot of running, learning different plays, and learning the defensive concepts. I'm a lot more comfortable now than I was when we started. I'm starting to know where to find spots to score and how Coach wants us to defend."
He has an excellent example to watch defensively in Brooks, who is perhaps the most consistently praised defender on this year's roster. It's also not unusual to see the two big men playing one-on-one after practice, the veteran trying to impart a little extra wisdom to the freshman.
It's noticeable how eager Bacot seems to learn. This isn't a freshman who thinks he's already figured out everything, and he's already identifying the key areas that matter. Thursday before practice, he was discussing the parts of his game that need the most improvement. "I have to be a better communicator," Bacot said. "It's not just talking, but it's knowing exactly what to say. Not just being loud, but saying the right thing. I'm in the back of our defense and I can see everything, so I have to let people know what I see."
How in tune is Bacot with what's being taught? About two hours later on the Smith Center court, Roy Williams stopped practice. "In the game of basketball," he told his entire team, "it is impossible to talk too much."
Another of the head coach's favorite instructions: "Run!" That's an area where Bacot has already been very impressive. Most big men arrive in college needing substantial conditioning before they can play at Williams' preferred pace. Bacot isn't yet Tyler Zeller—against whom he's been able to practice in recent days, and spent part of Thursday learning from Zeller the valuable skill of the free throw tip-out for an offensive rebound—but he's much more advanced than some past newcomers.
"I knew I had to be fast in order to play here," Bacot says. "A lot of people don't know that I'm actually really fast. I ran track in high school, but I was chubby, so no one could tell. Last year I really started working on my running and my stride. In my opinion, the only player faster than me here is Cole (Anthony)."
The chemistry between those two freshmen will be very important for the 2020 Tar Heels. In one Thursday sequence, Anthony thought the big man was cutting one way, fired a pass for a would-be layup, and then realized Bacot was cutting in the opposite direction. The ball sailed out of bounds.
By the time conference play begins in earnest in January, that same series is likely to result in a dunk. "I'm starting to get those little details in the offense," Bacot says. "When Cole is making a backdoor cut, he might want me to cut my eyes a certain way. At first, we didn't know that type of communication. Eventually, I'll be able to hit him with that pass, because I can sell it with my eyes first. That also shows the greatness of Coach, because he pays attention to little details like that and teaches them to us."
Players who sub out of the constantly moving Carolina basketball practice usually stand on the sideline, where they'll soon be reentered into the drill after a couple more repetitions.
Thursday afternoon at practice, freshman Armando Bacot subbed out of a halfcourt offense drill—and then walked straight to the midcourt line. As the drill proceeded, Bacot first got direct instruction from assistant coach Hubert Davis, then listened intently as Roy Williams explained a subtle nuance of the play that could've resulted in an easier shot for the rookie.
That's the kind of teaching that has characterized Bacot's first full month of Tar Heel basketball practice, which he'll display for the first time tonight at the exhibition game against Winston-Salem State.
"Since I've been here, Coach Williams has been very hands-on with me," Bacot says. "He has worked with me on my jump hook and he has really gotten out there with me. For such a legendary coach to actually get out on the court with me is amazing."
The head coach's interest is partially because the 6-foot-10 Bacot could give the Tar Heels something they haven't had consistently in the starting lineup since the 2017 team paired Kennedy Meeks with Isaiah Hicks—two legitimate post players. Garrison Brooks played center for much of last season, but Bacot's presence also gives the veteran more flexibility.
Of course, Bacot's existence on the roster doesn't necessarily guarantee he'll play major minutes. That will hinge on how quickly he picks up all the details of being a Tar Heel big man.
"It's been a challenge," the freshman says. "It's been a lot of running, learning different plays, and learning the defensive concepts. I'm a lot more comfortable now than I was when we started. I'm starting to know where to find spots to score and how Coach wants us to defend."
He has an excellent example to watch defensively in Brooks, who is perhaps the most consistently praised defender on this year's roster. It's also not unusual to see the two big men playing one-on-one after practice, the veteran trying to impart a little extra wisdom to the freshman.
It's noticeable how eager Bacot seems to learn. This isn't a freshman who thinks he's already figured out everything, and he's already identifying the key areas that matter. Thursday before practice, he was discussing the parts of his game that need the most improvement. "I have to be a better communicator," Bacot said. "It's not just talking, but it's knowing exactly what to say. Not just being loud, but saying the right thing. I'm in the back of our defense and I can see everything, so I have to let people know what I see."
How in tune is Bacot with what's being taught? About two hours later on the Smith Center court, Roy Williams stopped practice. "In the game of basketball," he told his entire team, "it is impossible to talk too much."
Another of the head coach's favorite instructions: "Run!" That's an area where Bacot has already been very impressive. Most big men arrive in college needing substantial conditioning before they can play at Williams' preferred pace. Bacot isn't yet Tyler Zeller—against whom he's been able to practice in recent days, and spent part of Thursday learning from Zeller the valuable skill of the free throw tip-out for an offensive rebound—but he's much more advanced than some past newcomers.
"I knew I had to be fast in order to play here," Bacot says. "A lot of people don't know that I'm actually really fast. I ran track in high school, but I was chubby, so no one could tell. Last year I really started working on my running and my stride. In my opinion, the only player faster than me here is Cole (Anthony)."
The chemistry between those two freshmen will be very important for the 2020 Tar Heels. In one Thursday sequence, Anthony thought the big man was cutting one way, fired a pass for a would-be layup, and then realized Bacot was cutting in the opposite direction. The ball sailed out of bounds.
By the time conference play begins in earnest in January, that same series is likely to result in a dunk. "I'm starting to get those little details in the offense," Bacot says. "When Cole is making a backdoor cut, he might want me to cut my eyes a certain way. At first, we didn't know that type of communication. Eventually, I'll be able to hit him with that pass, because I can sell it with my eyes first. That also shows the greatness of Coach, because he pays attention to little details like that and teaches them to us."
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