Former North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar is unlikely to return to Chapel Hill next season, and many are feeling as though that is the right decision for his future.
Henri Veesaar took a unique path to becoming one of college basketball’s breakout stars. The talented big man began his career with the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball, where he mostly played a reserve role during his first few seasons in Tucson.
Even though his playing time was limited early on, Veesaar steadily developed his game under Arizona’s system. Each season, he showed improvement as a scorer, rebounder, and floor spacer, gradually becoming a more complete frontcourt player. His size, mobility, and outside shooting ability started drawing attention, but he was still searching for the opportunity to become a featured player.
That opportunity came when he transferred to North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball. With the Tar Heels, Veesaar immediately flourished in a larger offensive role and emerged as one of the team’s most important players.
During his lone season at UNC, Veesaar averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting efficiently from both the field and three-point range. His ability to stretch the floor as a seven-footer created matchup problems for opposing defenses, while his improved physicality and rebounding helped anchor North Carolina’s frontcourt.
Veesaar’s rapid rise from Arizona reserve to UNC star significantly boosted his NBA Draft stock. Scouts became intrigued by his modern skill set — particularly his shooting touch, offensive versatility, and mobility at his size. His development over the past few years is now viewed as one of the better transfer success stories in recent college basketball.
His scoring and floor-spacing abilities at his size make him an intriguing prospect. He does come with some concerns on the defensive end, but his skill set is valuable at any level of basketball, and his rapid growth will certainly be appealing to NBA teams picking in his projected draft range.
Veesaar Sticking With Draft
There was a glimmer of hope that Veesaar would be back with the Tar Heels for next season after breaking out in the 2025-26 campaign. However, the Tar Heels made a major change on the coaching front, letting Hubert Davis go after five seasons and hiring Michael Malone, who won an NBA Championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.
As such, Veesaar decided to keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft rather than return to school. It’s a risk that he believes is worth taking, considering that Veesaar helped improve his draft stock significantly last season and projects as a potential first-round pick.
CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno believes that Veesaar is making the right decision, citing his skill set that could help many NBA teams right away. Salerno, like many draft analysts, projects that Veesaar will be chosen in the back half of the first round at this summer’s NBA Draft.
Salerno’s Thoughts
“When UNC hired Michael Malone, his top priority instantly became trying to convince Veesaar to come back for a second season at Chapel Hill. That won’t happen. Unless there is a last-minute change of heart, all signs indicate Veesaar stays in the draft and capitalizes on a strong offensive season at UNC.”
“He is making the right decision because bigs who can shoot will be coveted late in the first round. I see Veesaar going somewhere in the 20s on draft night. There is a place in the NBA for seven-footers who can shoot 42.6% from the 3-point line,” Salerno said
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