Maccabi Tel Aviv Signs American Center Armando Bacot for Two Years

American center Armando Bacot, who played last season for Fenerbahce, has signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, reportedly earning around one million dollars per season. Bacot, 26 years old and standing 2.08 meters tall, had a modest performance last year, averaging 10 minutes, 2.4 points, and 1.8 rebounds over 26 EuroLeague games. Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Oded Katash praised Bacot as a talented and intelligent player with high offensive skills and potential for growth, expressing enthusiasm about his addition to the team.

Bacot expressed excitement about joining the historic club and contributing to its success and improvement. He gained early recognition as a top high school player, which led him to play five years at the University of North Carolina, a program known for producing NBA stars like Michael Jordan and Vince Carter. After college, Bacot played for the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League, where he averaged 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Despite his strong G League performance, he did not secure an NBA contract last summer and subsequently signed with Fenerbahce in September.

At Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bacot is expected to be the third tallest player in the rotation, behind Roman Sorkin and the senior foreign big man, German Daniel Theis, who is close to signing. This move aims to strengthen Maccabi's frontcourt options for the upcoming seasons.