Less than an hour before tip-off, major news surfaced regarding the eligibility of international transfer Luka Bogavac.
While his status has been up-in-the-air, the program finally received clarity: Bogavac is officially cleared to play.
Shortly after he was cleared, the Montenegro native made his debut, scoring 10 points while recording five assists in 20 minutes of action off the bench in the UNC basketball program's blowout victory over Central Arkansas.
After the game, head coach Hubert Davis was asked about finding out the good news and what occurred during the moment he was able to tell Bogavac to suit up and get ready to play.
“Yeah I mean we found out just right before the game,” Davis said on Bogavac getting cleared. “Just to see the smile and the reaction from Luka was something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. He’s someone obviously coming from Montenegro that has always since the first time that I talked to him had a burning desire to be a part of this team, this program, this university and this community and to see him be able to run out of that tunnel with the uniform on and be able to check him in and see that smile - it’s something again that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Bogavac's eligibility was a major question mark leading up to the start of the 2025-2026 season, as no one quite knew just what to expect. Just when it looked like the Tar Heels would be without Bogavac to start the season, we witnessed a buzzer-beater just before opening tip even occurred, a significant moment that is set to have a major impact on the UNC basketball program this upcoming season.
It's safe to say that Hubert Davis and his staff are very happy to have the situation resolved.