How Henri Veesar Embraces Chapel Hill’s Culture

UNC men's basketball is widely known to have a culture that sees former players who entered their professional careers return to come back and interact with the current roster ahead of its upcoming season.

And this past summer was no different, as North Carolina approaches the 2025-2026 campaign, the fifth season under Hubert Davis as the head coach, where he has already made a national championship appearance (and just one half from winning it, too).

Henri Veesaar, a transfer from Arizona, is now the center for Davis and the staff that were in desperate need of one last season, commented on the culture in Chapel Hill.

"I'm just feeling the love of the community and seeing what the school really means to the whole community of Chapel Hill and everywhere in North Carolina. Knowing that you play for so much more than just yourself. Like the players that paved the way for, you seeing everybody come back during the summer just to talk to us, the older players who are already retired or still have contracts overseas or are in the NBA."

"They risk theirs and their body just to play with us. Seeing that it means that much to them to make us better, that just means everything. You know that you got to bring it every day just for them."

UNC — Junior Henri Veesaar at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

The Players Improve With Veteran Presence Back in Town

For the freshmen and newcomers from past colleges, the former Tar Heels who take their time to travel to Chapel Hill and offer their piece of advice is something that can set North Carolina apart from other programs in the country.

UNC had Luke Maye, Cameron Johnson, Tyler Zeller, Justin Jackson, Cormac Ryan, Kenny Williams, Garrison Brooks and even J.P. Tokoto (older brother of Seth Trimble) in attendance this past summer.

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— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) July 1, 2025

If the Tar Heels can achieve wins throughout the season and find a groove toward becoming one of the best in college basketball, then the love Tar Heel fans have will grow. UNC is a historic blue blood with numerous amount of successes. And for a group that is still finding its way to form chemistry, the support it receives is one factor that can provide a boost to their team morale.

Veesaar did not start last season under Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd, but will get to see the floor a whole lot under Davis — and given his projection as the starting center, the culture in Chapel Hill will continue to surround him.

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