Veesaar’s Bounce-Back Opportunity Top of Mind for UNC’s Davis

The North Carolina Tar Heels' 16-4 start has been heavily predicated on the performance of the frontcourt duo consisting of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. The two players lead the team in points, rebounds, and blocks.

While speaking with the media on Friday during his press conference, head coach Hubert Davis spoke on Wilson's leadership, while addressing Veesaar's unusual rough game against Virginia last weekend.

Davis' Thoughts

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

"I think the biggest is that they are called to be leaders," Davis said. "I was not called to be a leader my freshman year. As I mentioned before, in college, all of us stayed four years, and that leadership role was almost passed down the line. And so, when I was a freshman, it was, Steve Bucknall who were the leaders of our team. I think now, with the transfer portal and guys going into the NBA, the most important thing is having leaders. And it doesn't matter what classification they are."

College basketball has changed, as player movement is a revolving door with the transfer portal and elite talents declaring for the draft after one year of eligibility. Wilson falls into the latter, as he will be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft class.

"One of the things that I always say is, I want you to be a leader within your own personality," Davis said. "I think, in regard to Caleb and Derek [Dixon], they have done that within their own personality. It doesn't have to come as a vocal leader or as a leader by example, but both have embraced and felt comfortable and confident enough to do it within their own personality."

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the ball in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The 55-year-old head coach went on to explain how fortunate he is to have the opportunity of coaching Wilson.

“No other coach, no other program, has it better than this combination of having this good of a player, this good of person and this good of teammate,” Davis said. “It’s really a blessing to be able to coach him this year.”

Veesaar struggled against the Cavaliers, totaling seven points and one rebounds while shooting 3-of-8 from the field. Davis discussed what led to the lack of production.

"[Virginia] did a really good job against [Veesaar], and he really couldn't get into a rhythm on both ends of the floor," Davis said. "We talked about, from a defensive standpoint, being more ready for guys posting up and going at him on the defensive end. Then, from an offensive standpoint, just kind of moving around a little bit more. But I'm so happy that Henri's here. He's having a terrific season, and I look forward to him having a really good game against Georgia Tech on Saturday"

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