It isn't every day that a big-time European prospect joins a collegiate basketball program. It's even more rare when two big-time European prospects end up on the same collegiate team.
However, UNC and head coach Hubert Davis just welcomed two of the top recruits from overseas when four-star point guard Luka Bogavac and three-star center Ivan Matlekovic finally arrived on campus this week.
The two European recruits are part of the Tar Heels' class of 2025, which is currently ranked fifth in the nation and consists of five blue-chip prospects, including Bogavac and Matlekovic.
While many basketball programs hold practices and workouts throughout the summer, the newest Tar Heels didn't join the squad until Wednesday, Aug. 13, when they officially stepped onto campus in Chapel Hill.
Luka 🇲🇪 and Ivan 🇭🇷 have officially arrived in Chapel Hill 📍 pic.twitter.com/qnTru1LFxl
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 13, 2025
“North Carolina fans can expect a temperamental and characterful player, I will try to give 100 percent,” Bogavac said in an interview earlier this summer. “I have great energy, character. I know that the expectations are high, and I will try to justify them... I will make sure that the team achieves as many victories as possible and goes to the very top.”
Bogavac committed to the Tar Heels in May of this year after North Carolina was the sole program to extend an offer in his direction. In fact, in the same interview, he admitted he had never thought of college basketball as an option until the UNC offer appeared.
Both Bogavac and Matlekovic obtained the necessary student visas, as well as cleared the UNC admissions process, so that they could take the next step in officially joining the basketball team. While they still await clearance from the NCAA, the pair can still participate in team activities and attend classes, just like any other Tar Heel athlete.
Also read: UNC Basketball recruiting targets fill Rivals' updated Class of 2026 top-10 rankings
North Carolina is scheduled to start its 2025-26 season on Friday, Oct. 24, with a matchup against the BYU Cougars. This means that at the very latest, Bogavac and Matlekovic have more than two months to receive their final clearances from the NCAA.