The college basketball season is still months away from tip off but the North Carolina Tar Heels are already building excitement around their remodeled roster.
Recently, the Tar Heels released a few short clips of their practice sessions, and one UNC newcomer had fans gaining hope for the upcoming season.
A few clips from practice today 👀 pic.twitter.com/fYwtnsB4Of
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 27, 2025
Luka Bogavac is No. 44 in the first clip, nailing a pull-up three-point shot. A three-pointer isn't the most notable ability in basketball, but it is when the player is a 22-year-old freshman. Yes, you read that right. Bogavac is about to play his true freshman season for the Tar Heels.
Who is Luka Bogavac?
Bogavac is a Montenegrin basketball star who has spent the past few years playing professional basketball for SC Derby in Croatia. He has never played a moment of collegiate basketball, so when it comes to eligibility, he is a true freshman.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, he has the perfect build for a combo guard and has the stats to back it up. Last year, he averaged 14.9 points per game, shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and just over 39 percent from three-point range.
Bogavac isn't the only European prospect who joined the Tar Heels this summer. Ivan Matlekovic, a 7-foot center from Croatia, also touchdown in Chapel Hill after starting his collegiate career for the High Point Panthers in 2024.
Matlekovic only played in five games for the Panthers, averaging just 6.2 minutes per appearance. However, in that short time, he earned 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game.
North Carolina is scheduled to start its upcoming season on Friday, Oct. 24, with a game against the BYU Cougars. Hopefully, both Matlekovic and Bogavac's journeys to North Carolina pay off this season.