What Are The Top 5 Experiences From Bacot's Crazy Offseason?

*Note: Full video of Armando Bacot interview posted below this report.

CHAPEL HILL – The last few months have been a wild ride for Armando Bacot.

North Carolina’s run to the national championship game, and the notoriety the 6-foot-10 forward gained during that stretch led to a bevy of NIL opportunities once the offseason commenced. And Bacot took full advantage.

Among the most interesting things Bacot experienced was a recent facetime call with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, the 7-foot Hall of Famer and one of the better-known athletes in America over the last few decades.

The Kentucky Derby, throwing out the first pitch at a Baltimore Orioles game, meeting and mingling with some seriously high rollers, and even a bit on the popular Netflix show “Outer Banks,” marked Bacot’s incredibly busy offseason.

So, if he were to rank them in order, or perhaps his top five experiences, what would be number one?

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“Probably the Outer Banks show was probably number one,” he said Monday during an interview session on the Smith Center court. “The was huge.”

Next?

“Kentucky Derby, that’s two for sure,” Bacot replied.

Third was something that rendered no NIL dividend, but was personally rewarding for the likely preseason ACC Player of the Year entering the coming season.

“Number three probably, I talked to Shaq on facetime the other day, and he knew who I was and said he liked my game,” Bacot said.

“And that was the reason I started playing basketball. For him to say that, that was huge for me.”

Bacot is in UNC’s prestigious Kenan Flagler Business school and has had a mind for commerce since he was a child. So, learning from those who have done a great deal in business also made the list of his top five experiences this offseason. Throw in some interesting summer school classes, too.

“I got a chance to meet a lot of successful people and pick their brains,” he said. “Jim Pallotta, he used to own the (Boston) Celtics, and AC Roma, too. He’s a real smart guy and I got to pick his brain, too. That was cool.

“Mike Meyers, too. Probably summer classes. I had some cool summer classes. I took like five or six this summer. That’s my top five.”

Stepping out onto the mound at Camden Yards was also special for Bacot, especially since he didn’t embarrass himself throwing out the first pitch before the Orioles hosted the Tampa Bay Rays. It was set up by Baltimore-based Jimmy’s Seafood, which was the first business to sign Bacot to an NIL deal a year ago.

“It was a cool experience just how it went,” Bacot said. “The guys at Jimmy’s set it up. I like the Orioles, they’re like my second favorite team. I’m a Phillies fan, but it was just a cool experience because I grew up not far from Baltimore, and being able to meet all the guys and throw out the first pitch.

“I was nervous, of course. I’m glad I didn’t fully mess it up.”

The Orioles were 17-25 going into their game that night, but since Bacot’s pitch, Baltimore is 29-21.

The promo deal worked for the team, as has everything in which Bacot has been involved. He now lives in a two-bedroom loft above The Casual Pint in Chapel Hill and is working on finding a personal chef.

Make no mistake, Name, Image, and Likeness has been a boon for Bacot.