UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot Adds to Preseason Accolades

On Monday, UNC basketball's Armando Bacot garnered AP Preseason All-American honors.

So, it only makes sense that Bacot, set to pad his lead this season as UNC's all-time leader in rebounds (1,335) and double-doubles (68), would appear on the Preseason All-ACC First Team. As of the conference's press release on Thursday, it's official.

Joining the 23-year-old Bacot as first-team selections are Duke sophomore forward Kyle Filipowski, Clemson senior center PJ Hall, Virginia senior guard Reece Beekman, and Miami senior forward Norchad Omier.

Only one of the 51 voters did not have Bacot as a first-teamer. Filipowski, who received 35 votes to edge out Bacot's 13 for ACC Preseason Player of the Year honors and is the conference's only other AP Preseason All-American, was the conference's lone unanimous first-team selection.

Five familiar faces earn a spot on the Preseason All-ACC First-Team 🤩

Kyle Filipowski leads the way as the Preseason ACC Player of the Year 😈 pic.twitter.com/LxCD5SySp9
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 26, 2023

No Tar Heels landed on the Preseason All-ACC Second Team.

Last season, Bacot, a full-time starter since his arrival on campus in 2019, averaged 15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. That marked the second straight campaign the 6-foot-11, 240-pound big man posted double-double averages.

But the 2022-23 Tar Heels, who began at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 Poll, finished with a disappointing 20-13 overall record and failed to earn an NCAA Tournament invite in the second year of Hubert Davis' tenure.

Armando Bacot and the 2023-24 UNC basketball squad, starting at No. 19 this go-round, tip off their regular season on Nov. 6 against visiting Radford. First, St. Augustine's comes to Chapel Hill for the Tar Heels' lone exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. ET in the Dean E. Smith Center.

Tar Heel Guard Named Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC basketball news.