UNC’s Luka Bogavac enters transfer portal

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) drives during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images Another Tar Heel has added his name to the transfer portal. Luka Bogavac told Andrew Jones of TarHeel247 that he intended to return to UNC for a second year when the two spoke before Michael Malone’s introductory press conference.

Several of Bogavac’s teammates had already entered their names into the portal as it opened on Tuesday, but he signaled that his intention was to return to Chapel Hill for an encore. On Saturday he entered his name into the transfer portal. Malone began meeting with players this week, likely giving them an idea of where they stood with the incoming head coach.

It’s easy to infer that the conversation between Malone and Bogavac may have gone differently than expected in some way to spark the change of heart. Bogavac had some nice moments for the Tar Heels last season, especially his performance against Clemson on Senior Night. Malone made it clear in his introduction that he plans to bring a specific kind of basketball to Carolina this upcoming season, and it’s very possible that it was hard for one or both of them to see how those two things would mix.

Carolina now has seven players in the portal after Jaydon Young decided he would withdraw his name and return to UNC.