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Henri Veesaar climbs into first-round NBA draft mix at North Carolina
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- Henri Veesaar climbs into first-round NBA draft mix at North Carolina
While Caleb Wilson has drawn most of the attention in Chapel Hill, his frontcourt mate, center Henri Veesaar , has also started to turn heads.
In a recent mock draft , USA Today NBA writer Bryan Kalbrosky projected Carolina's 7-foot big man as the No. 25 overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
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"After transferring from Arizona to North Carolina, we have seen a remarkable improvement from Henri Veesaar," Kalbrosky wrote. "The 7-foot big man from Estonia has the archetypal dunks-and-3s shot profile on offense. He is shooting efficiently on both, while also holding his own as a rebounder and passer. Any team looking for a big man who can provide NBA minutes on an expedited timeline, like the Knicks, will have him high on their priority list."
Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) dunks the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images
(Cory Knowlton, Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images)
Veesaar is averaging 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He has shown he can score at all three levels, whether in the post or on the perimeter, shooting 64.8% from the field and 51.2% from 3-point range — both team highs.
In North Carolina's most recent outing, an 87-84 win over Wake Forest on Saturday, Veesaar led the Tar Heels with 25 points. It was his fifth career 20-point game and his fourth this season. He added nine rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal.
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Veesaar went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, marking his fifth multi-3-pointer game in the last six contests and his seventh this season with two or more threes. He finished 9-for-10 from the field, the second time this season he has shot 90% or better (he was 10-for-11 against ETSU).
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Henri Veesaar emerging as 2026 NBA Draft prospect
