UNC basketball center Henri Veesaaar is entering the 2026 NBA Draft, leaving a massive void for Michael Malone and the Tar Heels ahead of the 2026-27 season.
CBS Sports first reported Veesaar's departure on Friday, April 24, ahead of the deadline to declare for the draft.
A 7-foot center from Estonia and one of the top inside-out options in the nation, Veesaar is a modern post player. The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24. Veesaar is projected to be a late first-round pick or early second-round pick, but the return of other high-profile centers to college basketball improve Veesaar's chances of being a top-20 selection.
UNC TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER: UNC basketball transfer portal tracker, who's in, who's out on 2026-27 roster
With Veesaar and freshman star Caleb Wilson, a projected top-five pick, no longer on the roster, the Tar Heels have to replace their starting frontcourt.
Along with freshman star Caleb Wilson, a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Veesaar was a part of one of the top frontcourt duos in the nation. After transferring from Arizona, Veesaar averaged a career-high 17 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, finishing second in the ACC and 17th nationally with 15 double-doubles across 31 games. He had 58 dunks and 40 3-pointers, knocking down 60.8% of his shots, including 42.6% of his attempts from 3-point range.
When Wilson missed the final nine games of the season, Veesaar missed two alongside his frontcourt mate before commanding extra attention from defenses in the final seven games of the season. Veesaar remained productive as UNC’s top option with averages of 19.2 points on 60.6% shooting and 7.7 rebounds in that final stretch. He also matched Jarin Stevenson by leading UNC in the plus-minus stat in eight games. Veesaar is closing in on 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in his career. He’ll enter his senior season with 944 points. 498 rebounds and 91 blocks through 97 games.
Folks have seen what Michael Malone can do with a versatile center serving as the main hub within an offense. Henri Veesaar isn’t Nikola Jokic, but Veesaar is a 7-footer capable of creating headaches for defenses as a rebounder, facilitator and inside-out scorer. Veesaar had multiple assists in 20 of 31 games, averaging just over 2 assists per game. His departure is a major blow for the Tar Heels on the interior. UNC has positional size and versatility with the addition of Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas and returning forward Jarin Stevenson, but retaining Veesaar was Malone’s top priority and the Tar Heels’ first-year coach wasn't able to check that box.
Needing to pivot with Veesaar now pursuing a professional path, Malone will have to find some options via the transfer portal and international pool. Arizona State's Massamba Diop and Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam are among the high-profile centers in the portal, but other schools are reportedly in better position to land the services of Diop and Thiam. Texas Tech transfer Luke Bamgboye, Washington transfer Franck Kepnang and Georgetown's Julius Halaifonua are among the other notable options at center.
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Henri Veesaar of UNC basketball entering NBA Draft