This story first appeared in the 29th issue of Born & Bred, the exclusive magazine for Rams Club members.

I came to the University of North Carolina because I wanted to play basketball at the highest level.

I wanted to play for the best coaches in the game, with the best teammates, in the best facility, in front of the best fans. I knew that it would be an unforgettable experience.

But I got even more than I expected. Being a Tar Heel has provided a constant stream of opportunities for me. The basketball is great, of course. We were one rebound away from winning a national championship last season, and I’m spending every practice and every workout trying to make sure we get that rebound – and that title – this season.

That’s what you expect when you come to play at Carolina. You’re going to play on the biggest games on the biggest stages, and those games matter to thousands of people. Everywhere I go, people know Carolina Basketball. It’s a brand that stretches from coast to coast.

What you might not expect, though, is you’re going to get a best in class experience beyond the court. I knew Carolina was a good academic school. I didn’t fully appreciate how impactful it would be to go to class every day with some of the smartest students I’ve ever met, and how those relationships would shape my life. Every day in class I’m sitting next to people who will eventually be running their own companies. There are students everywhere on this campus who are the very best in the country at what they do, from the field hockey stadium to the computer lab. That type of energy inspires me to make more of this opportunity than just basketball.

Tar Heels make it easy to have those experiences. The Carolina Family is special in basketball, but it’s not just about basketball. It’s about the entire community. I’ve met Tar Heels who are in the financial world and the entertainment industry and through community service. None of them played basketball. But they treat me as an equal because we all have that Carolina background. We all know what it’s like to walk down Franklin Street or hear a sold-out Smith Center crowd roar after a big win. It’s incredible to me that no matter when they graduated, every Tar Heel looks back on their time in Chapel Hill and wishes they could do it again.

That’s something that will be meaningful in my life long after I’m finished playing. I know that one day, I’m going to be that older guy who is telling the young ones about my time at Carolina. That’s part of why I’m back in school this year. I wasn’t ready for this to be over. I wasn’t ready to give up the time with my friends and the educational opportunities and the feeling of running out of the tunnel and looking up at those banners – where we hope to put another one soon – and hearing all of you cheer for us.

I wasn’t ready to move on from living life every day as a Tar Heel. It’s something that will stay with me forever. I’m very proud to say that I’m Armando Bacot, and I’m a Tar Heel.