As the 2026 NBA Playoffs roll on, preparation for the upcoming draft is underway as well. Teams will have the chance to scout prospects in person here in May, with the annual draft combine taking place in Chicago. That combine will include two former UNC players in Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, as well as a transfer portal commit in Matt Able. With over a month to go until the draft, ESPN has released its latest mock including a pair of Tar Heels going in the first round.
After his freshman season at UNC, Wilson’s stock is very high as he’s considered a top-five pick. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has Wilson going fourth to Utah:
Wilson’s pair of hand injuries didn’t impact his standing on draft boards, with lottery teams continuing to debate internally how he projects relative to the other top prospects, particularly the more polished but less physically gifted Boozer. He will have an opportunity to make his case in predraft workouts, where his athletic gifts should stand out, and teams will want to better assess his skill level and shooting. There are potential scenarios where he can go higher than this, depending on how the lotto order breaks.
Utah won a draft tiebreaker with Sacramento, meaning its 1-8 protected pick can fall further than No. 8 — extinguishing the Jazz’s obligation to the Thunder. They don’t control their own pick in 2027 and should be thinking best-available prospect here, with Wilson making sense as a long-term centerpiece, even with the addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. to strengthen their frontcourt at the deadline.
As for Veesaar, he made the decision to enter the NBA draft rather than return to North Carolina for another season in 2026-27. That was largely based on the feedback he was getting which is a first round pick. That’s where Woo has him in his mock.
Woo has Veesaar at No. 25 going to the Los Angeles Lakers:
Veesaar comes off a productive season at North Carolina and will offer sheer size and viable shooting (42.6% from 3) in a draft that has become light on true centers. He has above-average athleticism and offensive skill for his size and should also be able to hold up defensively in drop coverage. The functionality he offers on both ends should allow him to plug into a rotation next season.
The Lakers have some roster uncertainty rolling into next season with LeBron James and likely Austin Reaves (player option) entering free agency. The most obvious need is at center, where they stand to upgrade beyond the mercurial Deandre Ayton. Veesaar would upgrade their skill level and add a floor-spacing element the roster lacks up front. Things could change between now and the draft but it’s good to see that both players are currently being mocked into that first round.
