North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac enters NCAA transfer portal

North Carolina freshman guard Luka Bogavac has entered the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Pete Nakos has confirmed. Bogavac averaged 9.8 points per game for the Tar Heels this season.

His decision to leave Chapel Hill comes several days after reports emerged indicating his return to the program next season under new head coach Michael Malone. Instead, he’s opted to hit the portal to find a new college basketball home.

Bogavac was a key contributor for North Carolina as a freshman this past season. He started 21 out of his 33 appearances while averaging 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He turned in his biggest performance during the ACC Tournament by putting up 20 points in a 67-63 victory over Clemson in Charlotte.

A native of Montenegro, Bogavac played for the SC Derby club before signing with North Carolina this year. He then received NCAA clearance, paving the way for him to suit up for the Tar Heels in 2025-26 as a freshman.

For UNC, the Tar Heels went 24-9 overall this season, including 12-6 in ACC play. The Tar Heels entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed, but saw their 19-point lead evaporate against VCU as the Rams pulled off the biggest comeback in Round of 64 history.

It’s the second first-round NCAA Tournament exit in a row for the Tar Heels, which prompted UNC to move on from former head coach Hubert Davis.

Malone came in, and appears to be active in the recruitment several high-profile portal players already. He comes into the UNC program after winning more than 500 games at the NBA level, most notably coaching the Denver Nuggets to a win over the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals in five games.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.