UNC basketball has filled the missing piece of its puzzle for the 2025-26 roster.
International prospect Luka Bogavac arrived in Chapel Hill on Aug. 13 to enroll at the university, the school confirmed. The Tar Heels‘ basketball account on X (formerly known as Twitter) posted a photo that included Bogavac and High Point transfer Ivan Matlekovic, a 7-foot center.
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Bogavac, a 6-foot-5 guard from Montenegro, committed to UNC on May 31 after four professional seasons in the ABA Liga with the SC Derby club. He will have to receive clearance from the NCAA to play for the Tar Heels, but he’ll be able to go through the offseason program while awaiting word on his status ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The 21-year-old guard is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging 14.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season. He scored 19 or more points in eight of his final 15 games, including a pair of games with 24 or more points. Bogavac dropped a season-high 27 points, including five 3-pointers, in his best performance of the season.
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Bogavac arrives in Chapel Hill as an efficient shooter, having knocked down 45.1% of his shots, including 39.9% of his 3-pointers and 87% of his free-throw attempts.
One of 10 newcomers on the roster entering head coach Hubert Davis’ fifth season with the Tar Heels, Bogavac is included in a freshmen class that features five-star recruit Caleb Wilson, along with guards Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis. Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, Alabama transfer Jarin Stevenson, Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans, West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell and Virginia Tech transfer Jaydon Young joined UNC via the transfer portal.
The Tar Heels start their new year with an exhibition game against BYU on Oct. 24 in Salt Lake City, Utah. UNC tips off the regular season against Central Arkansas on Nov. 3 at the Smith Center.
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Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball’s Luka Bogavac arrives in Chapel Hill to join Tar Heels
