North Carolina is practicing with Montenegrin guard Luka Bogavac despite his lack of NCAA clearance. This decision could backfire significantly if his eligibility is ultimately denied after he has spent considerable time practicing with the team.
Is UNC Breaking Protocol With Bogavac?
The “Locked On Tar Heels” podcast revealed that Luka Bogavac continues practicing with the team without NCAA clearance. The 22-year-old Montenegrin guard joined UNC in August after four professional seasons in Europe’s ABA League.
Podcast analysts expressed surprise at how UNC is handling the situation. One analyst remarked, “It’s interesting that he’s with the team, right? He’s with the team and working out with them and practicing with them.”
The analyst compared UNC’s move to what other programs do when facing clearance delays. They used Gonzaga as an example to show the normal way schools handle players without clearance.
“Gonzaga’s waiting on a waiver for Tyon Grant-Foster, who was their big wing addition this offseason. But Gonzaga, Tyon Grant-Foster cannot be around the team. Legally, he’s not allowed to until the NCAA gives him clearance,” the analyst said.
This difference shows the risk UNC is taking. Most programs keep players without NCAA clearance away from team activities, while the Tar Heels have opted to integrate Bogavac into their system even before receiving approval.
The issue of clearance delays is affecting numerous programs nationwide, as noted by the analyst, who mentioned that “there are many other schools facing these problems as well” in mid-September.
Why Practicing With Bogavac Now Could Backfire Later
Allowing Bogavac to practice with the team before obtaining clearance poses a significant risk for UNC. He is not just any player; the 6’6″ guard averaged 14.9 points and shot 39.3% from three-point range last season for SC Derby in professional competition.
The analyst explained how practicing with Bogavac now makes a potential clearance denial much more damaging. “For Carolina, if Bogovac doesn’t end up getting cleared and they have been working with him in a role and kind of getting used to what he’s going to bring to the team, that does put a little bit more pressure on, okay, who’s your backup?”
By building their system around Bogavac through daily practices, UNC is making a deeper commitment to his role on the team. If they later receive a denial, they would not only lose a player but also weeks of preparation time and have to rebuild offensive schemes they have already practiced.
Read More: Henri Veesaar Shares Honest Early Impression of Luka Bogavac, Shares Advice on Adjusting in the USA
In that scenario, Jonathan Powell and Jarin Stevenson would need to step into larger roles they haven’t been preparing for. The coaching staff would face the challenge of quickly redistributing Bogavac’s duties while catching up on the preparation they should have been doing with other players all along.
UNC’s approach creates two very different outcomes. If clearance comes through, they benefit from early integration with a key contributor. However, if it is denied, they will confront the much more challenging task of reconfiguring systems they have spent weeks building around a player who is no longer available.
