Karlo Matković

Karlo Matković

Karlo Matković in 2022
No. 17 – New Orleans Pelicans
Position	Center / power forward
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	(2001-03-30) 30 March 2001 (age 23) Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nationality	Croatian / Bosnian
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	2022: 2nd round, 52nd overall pick
Selected by the New Orleans Pelicans
Playing career	2018–present
Career history
2018–2024	Cedevita / Cedevita Olimpija
2019–2020	→OKK Beograd
2020–2022	→Mega Basket
2024	Birmingham Squadron
2024–present	New Orleans Pelicans
2024	→Birmingham Squadron
Career highlights and awards
Slovenian League champion (2023) Slovenian Cup winner (2023) Croatian Cup winner (2019) Jordan Brand Classic (2017)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Karlo Matković (born 30 March 2001) is a Croatian professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He represents the Croatia national team internationally.

Early career

In 2017, Matković participated in the Jordan Brand Classic camp. In August 2018, he participated at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Belgrade, Serbia, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[1]

Professional career

Europe (2018–2024)

During the 2018–19 Croatian League season, Matković was promoted to the Cedevita senior team. In April 2019, he signed his first professional contract for Cedevita.^[2] In September 2019, he was loaned to OKK Beograd for the 2019–20 Serbian League season.^[3][4] In August 2020, he was loaned to Mega Soccerbet for the 2020–21 ABA season.^[5] Following the 2020–21 season, Matković declared for the 2021 NBA draft, but withdrew his name from consideration on July 19, 2021.^[6]

After declaring for the 2022 NBA draft in April 2022,^[7] Matković was selected with the 52nd overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans^[8] and joined them for the 2022 NBA Summer League.^[9] However, he didn't join the Pelicans for the 2022–23 NBA season^[10][11] and on 23 July, he joined Cedevita Olimpija.^[12][13]

On 4 February 2024, Matković left Cedevita.^[14]

New Orleans Pelicans / Birmingham Squadron (2024–present)

On 22 February 2024, Matković joined the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League^[15] and on 14 July, he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans.^[16] He made his NBA debut on 23 October, in a 123–111 win over the Chicago Bulls.^[17]

National team career

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Matković was born to a Croat family in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina under-18 team at the 2018 FIBA U18 European Championship in Latvia. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 8.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.^[18] His team finished the last at the tournament with a 0–7 record.

Croatia

In November 2021, Matković expressed his interest to represent Croatia internationally in the senior competitions, if called.^[19] He made his debut for Croatia in February 2022, in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers match against Sweden.^[20]

See also

• List of Croatian NBA players
• List of NBA drafted players from Serbia

References

1. "Bjelica, Bogdanovic, Harris, Jokic, Kaminsky, Marjanovic and Vucevic headline Basketball Without Borders Europe 2018". NBA.com. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
2. "Karlo Matković potpisao prvi profesionalni ugovor s Cedevitom". Basketball.hr (in Croatian). 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
3. "Veliki talent hrvatske košarke odlazi u beogradski klub". Germanijak.hr (in Croatian). 8 August 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
4. "Karlo Matković novi igrač OKK Beograd". SportSport.ba (in Croatian). 8 August 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
5. "Karlo Matković 17 Krilni centar/Centar". BCMegabasket.net (in Bosnian). Retrieved 30 September 2020.
6. "NBA announces 51 early entry candidates withdraw from 2021 Draft". NBA.com. July 20, 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
7. "Četvorica hrvatskih košarkaša prijavila su se za NBA draft". Index.hr (in Croatian). 27 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
8. "New Orleans Pelicans select E.J. Liddell and Karlo Matkovic in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft". NBA.com. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
9. "New Orleans Pelicans 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League Roster". NBA.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
10. "Pelikansi odabrali Matkovića tokom reklame za slatkiše, moraće još da čeka na šansu u NBA". MozzartSport.com (in Bosnian). 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
11. Trahan, Ken (23 June 2022). "Pelicans take step forward, literally, in draft". CrescentCitySports.com. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
12. "Birali ga Pelikansi – stiže u Cedevita Olimpiju". b92.net (in Serbian). 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
13. "Cedevita adds Matkovic to the mix". EuroleagueBasketball.net. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
14. "Karlo Matkovic officially leaves Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana for the NBA". EuroHoops.net. 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
15. "Birmingham Squadron Announce Addition of Karlo Matkovic". OurSportsCentral.com. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
16. "New Orleans Pelicans sign Karlo Matković". NBA.com. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
17. "Chicago Bulls at New Orleans Pelicans Box Score, October 23, 2024". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
18. "U18 BH 2018 - Karlo MATKOVIĆ". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
19. "Hrvat koji igra u Beogradu odigrao senzacionalnu utakmicu! Ima samo 20 godina i želi dres Hrvatske". Sportske.jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 7 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
20. "Nova bruka hrvatskih košarkaša: Damir Mulaomerović neuspješan na debiju". SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). 25 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.

External links

• Karlo Matkovic at ABA-Liga.com
• Karlo Matkovic at RealGM.com