Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Lose Depth Big Man to Portal

@ivan.matlekovic- Instagram

Things have slowed down in terms of exits from the Tar Heel basketball program with how many guys have already left the roster for the portal, but the team did have one more entry on Wednesday night, this time in the form of a depth big man.

As first announced by Pete Nakos of On3, sophomore forward Ivan Matlekovic has entered his name into the transfer portal as of this evening. He becomes the ninth Tar Heel to announce his intentions to transfer this offseason and unlike Jaydon Young, does not appear as if he will leave the door open to return to the team.

Matlekovic, who transferred in from High Point last offseason to provide some extra depth in the frontcourt, departs after just one season in Chapel Hill. In his lone year with the program, he played in just four games, averaging 0.5 points, 0.0 rebounds and 0.0 assists while hitting his lone shot on the season. According to Inside Carolina, Matlekovic suffered a season-ending hand injury in January prior to the team’s game against California.

His departure shouldn’t come as much of a shock and is not a major blow by any means, but it does mean that the team has just two players (Jarin Stevenson and Jaydon Young) that are currently expected back for next season. In total, the team has five scholarship players that are currently on the roster after Malloy Smith signing today out of the high school ranks, meaning there is still plenty of work to be done with this roster in the next few weeks. 

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