One of VCU's most highly desired recruits is a Richmond native, class of 2019 big man Armando Bacot. The 6-foot-9 center from Trinity Episcopal has drawn offers from nearly all of the best college basketball programs in the country. His list of 10 schools includes elite programs like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Virginia and Villanova. For Ram fans, the most exciting team on the final list of 10 is VCU. His commitment to the Rams would make waves throughout the basketball community, signaling that elite players can choose to play college basketball at home, around friends and family, before moving on to NBA ambitions.
<blockquote>A commitment from the RVA native would make him the highest rated commit in VCU history.</blockquote>
<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-23776" src="https://www.vcuramnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/26374920879_0acb43eb08_o-221x300.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="300" />Ranked #1 in Virginia, and the #10 center in the country by <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Armando-Bacot-94692" target="_blank" rel="noopener">24/7 Sports</a>, some speculate that Armando Bacot will choose either Duke or Carolina, based on the amount of detail he has given about those two programs. However, VCU fans are holding onto hope that Bacot makes a splash come decision time. A commitment from the RVA native would make him the highest rated recruit in VCU history.
VCU fans are already quite familiar with Bacot, who was a regular at Rams' home games this season, and has a lot of familiarity with the program.
Bacot just returned from competing at the Final Four this weekend in San Antonio as part of the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team. I caught up with him to see what the recruitment process is like. He tells me he hasn't made any adjustments to his list of 10 schools, but that we should expect him to narrow it down this summer.
VCU is very involved in his recruitment. Assistant Coach <a href="http://www.vcuathletics.com/information/directory/bios/byers-jd?view=bio">J.D. Byers</a>, who has been an assistant coach with Mike Rhoades and Radford's Mike Jones (all part of the VCU coaching tree) for the past 7 years, keeps in touch with Armando on a daily basis. Bacot is drawn to the program because of its proximity to home. It's just a 10 minute drive to the VCU campus, which means that friends and family stay close. Bacot says that this could be a factor in his decision.
Bacot's parents are also a factor. He looks to them for guidance and advice. "My mom and dad have to like it in order for me to go there", Bacot said.
At this point we've come to expect the unexpected. Bacot could choose to make history with VCU. Anxious VCU fans will have to wait until the summer, when Bacot narrows his list, for an update on where we stand.
<blockquote>A commitment from the RVA native would make him the highest rated commit in VCU history.</blockquote>
<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-23776" src="https://www.vcuramnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/26374920879_0acb43eb08_o-221x300.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="300" />Ranked #1 in Virginia, and the #10 center in the country by <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Armando-Bacot-94692" target="_blank" rel="noopener">24/7 Sports</a>, some speculate that Armando Bacot will choose either Duke or Carolina, based on the amount of detail he has given about those two programs. However, VCU fans are holding onto hope that Bacot makes a splash come decision time. A commitment from the RVA native would make him the highest rated recruit in VCU history.
VCU fans are already quite familiar with Bacot, who was a regular at Rams' home games this season, and has a lot of familiarity with the program.
Bacot just returned from competing at the Final Four this weekend in San Antonio as part of the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team. I caught up with him to see what the recruitment process is like. He tells me he hasn't made any adjustments to his list of 10 schools, but that we should expect him to narrow it down this summer.
VCU is very involved in his recruitment. Assistant Coach <a href="http://www.vcuathletics.com/information/directory/bios/byers-jd?view=bio">J.D. Byers</a>, who has been an assistant coach with Mike Rhoades and Radford's Mike Jones (all part of the VCU coaching tree) for the past 7 years, keeps in touch with Armando on a daily basis. Bacot is drawn to the program because of its proximity to home. It's just a 10 minute drive to the VCU campus, which means that friends and family stay close. Bacot says that this could be a factor in his decision.
Bacot's parents are also a factor. He looks to them for guidance and advice. "My mom and dad have to like it in order for me to go there", Bacot said.
At this point we've come to expect the unexpected. Bacot could choose to make history with VCU. Anxious VCU fans will have to wait until the summer, when Bacot narrows his list, for an update on where we stand.
