Maccabi Tel Aviv Signs Center Armando Bacot for $1 Million Season

Maccabi Tel Aviv officially announced the signing of American center Armando Bacot, 26, who played last season for Fenerbahçe. Standing 2.08 meters tall, Bacot will strengthen Maccabi's frontcourt alongside players Sorokin and Tice. He is set to earn $1 million for the upcoming season. Bacot's candidacy was first reported by Sport 5, and he joins Maccabi after a year in Europe with Fenerbahçe, marking his first European club experience.

Before joining Fenerbahçe, Bacot played exclusively in the NBA G League during the 2024-25 season with the Memphis affiliate, after completing five collegiate seasons at the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. Despite strong G League averages of 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, Bacot struggled to replicate this impact in the EuroLeague, averaging only 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10 minutes over 26 games. In the Turkish league, he posted 6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 17.5 minutes per game with a 49.4% field goal percentage.

Bacot had been a long-discussed target for Maccabi Tel Aviv, with the club exploring other options before finalizing his signing. He is not expected to be the primary center in the rotation but will provide valuable depth. Notably, Bacot has not appeared in a EuroLeague game for Fenerbahçe since April 7, when they faced Hapoel Tel Aviv.