Veesaar Notes Why He Bounced Back in North Carolina’s Win

The last two games have been completely different experiences for North Carolina Tar Heels' center Henri Veesaar. After scoring seven points in the comeback win over Virginia last weekend, Veesaar exploded for 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Tar Heels' resounding 91-75 win over Georgia Tech this weekend.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, Veesaar explained his mindset heading into Saturday's contest against Georgia Tech.

Veesaar's Thoughts

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (left) talks with forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

"My team is there to help me out, helped us win at Virginia," Veesaar said. "Coming here I knew I had to step up because I can’t expect everyone to pick me up two games in a row. Just trying to have a positive impact, set good screens and the shots were falling today, my teammates were finding me on rolls so that really helped.”

Veesaar recorded four blocks, which was his second-highest total this season. The 6-foot-11, 224-pound center explained how the Yellow Jackets strategy allowed him to repeatedly alter shots at the rim.

"They were definitely trying to drive me and go against me in the pick and roll, so I was just trying to go vertical or block shots, just trying to alter their shots as much as I can to help other guys get rebounds," Veesaar said.

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) subs out against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Coming off back-to-back wins, the vibes are an all-time high for this group. Veesaar explained what the energy levels were like at practice this past week.

“We felt great after beating Virginia, felt really good afterwards," Veesaar said. "But on Monday and Tuesday we really got after it; it was hard practices. And then on Thursday and Friday we were trying to get prepared and just go out after what they [Georgia Tech] do."

As mentioned, the junior center struggled mightily against Virginia last weekend. However, Veesaar was not concerned about his personal performance, highlighting his teammates' impact in overcoming a 16-point deficit.

“Honestly, personally, I don’t really care," Veesaar said. "I’m just happy for Jarin [Stevenson] and the way he played and competed. Derek [Dixon] had a big game, [Caleb Wilson] had a big game, Seth [Trimble] looked great, so just the way my teammates played that game I was really happy for all of them.

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) before the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“I was happy for the whole team to win the game, and just overall being able to...if you lose that one we’re in a bad situation, so the way they picked me up was great and I’m very grateful for them," Veesaar continued.

Leading up to this past game, Veesaar elaborated on what the emphasis was during film study and on-court practices.

“We definitely go in-depth over pick and rolls, because [Virginia] was doing a good job coming down the ball screen and making me guard," Veesaar said. "They engaged me and then they dropped to a little post-up where I was out of position, and just being able to work, do my work early before we get over the seals really helped.”

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