By R.L. Bynum
Luka Bogavac comes to Carolina with pro experience, and the freshman wing has proven that he can deliver big games against elite competition.
Here’s a look at three of the best games last season in the ABA League for SC Derby for the 6–5, 201-pound wing who arrived in Chapel Hill two weeks ago. A packed Smith Center will be quite a contrast for Bogavac, as you’ll notice that there aren’t many fans at the SC Derby home game.
March 30: A perimeter show and excellent all-around game
It was late in the season, and Bogavac, who turns 22 next month, was dialed in from the perimeter in a 111–109 overtime victory over Igokea m:tel.
He erupted for 24 points and sank a game-high seven three-pointers. He made 7 of 9 shots from outside the arc but missed all three shots inside the arc. He pulled down five rebounds and was second on the team with five assists while committing no turnovers.
There was a defensive sequence in the fourth quarter when he was being physical with a post player, deflected a shot, got the rebound and had a strong reaction to the play, which drew a foul.
Bogavac (No. 44 in a red jersey) had a key assist with 1:31 left that led to a 3-pointer and a four-point lead.
A highlights video is below and you can watch the entire game here.
April 28: Season high, another shooting show
Bogavac delivered arguably his most polished performance in an 83–81 loss to Mega MIS.
He scored a season-high 27 points on 9 of 16 shooting (56.3%), including 5 of 10 from 3-point range (50%) and made all four free-throw attempts. He added two assists and a rebound.
In this game, he nicely draws a charge but gets called for a block, so he’s perhaps prepared for ACC officiating. He didn’t react much other than shaking his head. Late in the third quarter, he made a nice 3-point attempt with a hand in his face. After he misses a potential tying 3-point attempt with 1:30 left, he ties it on a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, then misses a 30-foot shot at the buzzer that would have won the game.
Game highlights are below. You can watch the entire game here.
Feb. 2: Another hot night from perimeter in a complete game
In a 95–80 loss to Partizan Belgrade, Bogavac played a game-high 36 minutes, scored 24 points, and collected five rebounds, three assists and three steals. From both inside the arc and outside the arc, he made 4 of 8 shots while hitting 4 of 5 free-throw attempts.
He has an understated breakaway dunk in this game. In the third quarter, he banked in a 40-foot shot that appeared to beat the shot clock, but the bucket was wiped out after a video review. This was a one-sided loss, but he hit a long buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Game highlights are below, and the full game video is here.
In the last 15 games of the season, he scored 19 or more points eight times, showcasing his explosiveness.
In 29 games, he averaged 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 45.1% from the floor, 39.8% from 3-point range and 87.0% from the free throw line with 28 steals and four blocks. How good is that free-throw shooting? RJ Davis is UNC’s all-time leader at 86.1%.
He’ll wear No. 44 at Carolina, a number that is honored for Larry Miller, Dennis Wuycik, Tyler Zeller and Justin Jackson but not retired.
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Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Luka Bogavac, Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell, James Brown and Zayden High return and the players in the incoming freshman class hold in their commitment, which would put UNC six under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Dylan Mingo | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 40 | Junior | Ivan Matlekovic | 5 | 7–0 | 255 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 13 | RS senior | Henri Veesaar | 5 | 7–0 | 225 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
In transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | |
| Isaiah Denis | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 180 | |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
Key offseason dates
Last Tuesday — Transfer portal opened
Thursday — Deadline to request evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee
11:59 p.m. April 21 — Transfer portal closes
11:59 p.m. April 26 — NBA early-entry deadline
May 8–10 — G-League Combine in Chicago
May 10 — NBA Draft Lottery
May 10–17 — NBA Draft Combine in Chicago
May 27 (11:59 p.m.) — NCAA early-entry withdrawal deadline
Week of June 22 (date to be determined) — NBA Draft
