UNC Adds Another Big Man, Land 7-Foot Transfer

Just when you thought that North carolina was done adding players to its roster for the 2025-26 season, they add another once everyone started going to bed.

The Tar Heels have made a late addition to their 2025–26 roster with the pickup of High Point transfer Ivan Matlekovic, adding more size to their frontcourt. The move was reported by Joe Tipton of On3, which confirmed the news through Matlekovic’s agents.

NEWS: North Carolina has landed a commitment from 6-foot-11 High Point transfer Ivan Matlekovic, his agents @WEAVE tell @On3sports.

The Croatian big man adds frontcourt depth for the Tar Heels.https://t.co/WG1JDUkzlK pic.twitter.com/En4mygEAyn
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 1, 2025

Matlekovic, a 7-foot, 245-pound center from Croatia, saw limited action during his freshman season at High Point, appearing in five games and logging 31 minutes. He finished the year with 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Before arriving in the United States, he competed for HAKK Mladost in the Croatian professional league and represented his country at the FIBA Under-18 European Championship.

North Carolina’s offseason roster overhaul continued with the addition of Ivan Matlekovic, marking the 10th newcomer to join the Tar Heels ahead of the 2025–26 campaign.

Head coach Hubert Davis and his staff have retooled the roster through a mix of experience and youth, securing five other transfers: West Virginia wing Jonathan Powell, Arizona big man Henri Veesaar, Colorado State point guard Kyan Evans, Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson and Virginia Tech guard Jaydon Young.

UNC also signed three highly regarded high school prospects—five-star forward Caleb Wilson and versatile guards Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis. The Tar Heels further bolstered their depth with the addition of Luka Bogavac, a standout from Montenegro.

Matlekovic is also the third player with Euopean ties as Bogavac (Montenegro) and Veesaar (Estonia). With the addition of Matlekovic, its becomig very clear that Davis and North Carolina are positioning itself to become a more consistent player in the international recruiting game and are acknowledging that the landscape of college basketball is changing faster than anticipated.

It's not just the transfer portal where UNC is trying to find European talent as it is also on the high school circuit that they are looking at players.

Four-star power forward Miikka Muurinen is a 6-foot-10, 195-pound rising senior from Chandler, Arizona, where he plays for Compass Prep. The Finnish big man is ranked No. 11 nationally in the 2026 class, No. 3 among power forwards and No. 2 overall in Arizona. He also has ties to North Carolina—his mother played at UNC in the early 2000s under legendary head coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Sayon Keita, a 7-footer and the top international prospect in his class, is scheduled to visit North Carolina’s campus on Friday. There is also a possibility he will reclassify to the Class of 2026 this season.