Ivan Matlekovic stepped off a plane in Chapel Hill with modest expectations and an even more modest stat sheet.
The 7-foot Croatian center, North Carolina’s tenth newcomer under Hubert Davis, averaged just 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds at High Point. Yet here he is, wearing Carolina blue and sparking the kind of debate that makes fans question everything they thought they knew about roster building.
Why Are Fans Questioning Ivan Matlekovic’s Addition to North Carolina?
In his brief time on the court at High Point, Matlekovic’s numbers have left fans scratching their heads and wondering what Davis sees that they don’t.
Under a post by the Instagram page UNC Zone, skepticism came quickly.
Oner user wrote, “2pts a game at High Point and he’s good enough for UNC. Damn, times have changed.”
Anotheadded, “You’ve got to be kidding! Carolina has truly fallen from greatness when a young man with his numbers at a lower D1 school gets this kind of recognition. My, how the mighty have fallen!”
A third simply commented, “I can’t believe this smh lol,” summing up the disbelief many fans feel.
However, Matlekovic brings more to the table than his High Point numbers suggest. The 20-year-old sophomore arrives with an international pedigree, having played professionally for Mladost in Serbia, where he averaged 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. He also represented Croatia in the FIBA U18 European Championship, averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.
For some observers, this signing feels like a long-term investment rather than an immediate solution. Others have dismissed him as little more than a “practice body.” The move has left analysts and fans wondering what Davis and his coaching staff see in the Croatian seven-footer that doesn’t appear in traditional statistics.
What Makes Matlekovic Worth the Investment for North Carolina?
On the YouTube channel “24/7 Tar Heel,” host Jacob Turner and publisher Andrew Jones offered insight into the decision.
Turner questioned whether Matlekovic would be just another roster filler. Jones pushed back on that notion, emphasizing the value of pure size. “You can’t teach seven feet, and height doesn’t slump. Like the height’s the height. That will always be the case with him.”
Jones compared the situation to football roster construction, where scholarship limits and development timelines shape player roles differently than fans might expect. He suggested the Tar Heels view Matlekovic as a multi-year project worth developing over time.
Beyond his potential on the court, Jones highlighted several practical benefits. Having Matlekovic’s size in practice helps prepare teammates for games against bigger opponents. His international background could appeal to NIL opportunities, and his Croatian heritage might hold untapped potential that hasn’t been fully developed.
“Maybe they look at him as a blank canvas. Say, you know what? It’s not going to cost a whole lot. We’ve got roster spots,” Jones said. “…Ivan is a project, a slow-play project, where they’ve got this big blank canvas and let’s see what kind of art we can create with the tools that we have.”
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Given Matlekovic’s limited production at High Point, he’s unlikely to arrive in Chapel Hill and is expected to anchor the post immediately. But having another seven-footer in practice addresses a real need for a program that struggled with frontcourt depth in 2024-25.
Even if his early contributions come primarily during practice sessions rather than game minutes, his 7-foot frame provides valuable preparation for the battles UNC will face in the ACC and beyond. Sometimes the most important work happens long before the lights come on and the cameras start rolling.
