Former UNC Big Henri Veesaar Reacts to Hawks Draft Slide

Henri Veesaar became quite a talking point throughout the NBA Draft, but he still feels as though the experience was a success.

Veesaar had perhaps the wildest NBA Draft of any player in this year’s class. The former Tar Heel was initially projected as a mid-to-late first-round draft pick, but he slid all the way down to the 52nd overall pick, finally being chosen in the second round by the Atlanta Hawks.

Rumors circulated that Veesaar was promised a spot on the roster by the Hawks, whereas other teams were likely trying to get him to sign a two-way, or Exhibit 10 contract. As such, many teams passed on him, and he landed in Atlanta late in the second round.

Veesaar Takes Risk

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after a play against the VCU Rams in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

He broke out into a star with the Tar Heels last season as one of the best big men in the country, and he took a major risk by opting to stay in the draft instead of returning to UNC under new head coach Michael Malone. Financially, he took a risk too, as he would’ve made several million dollars in NIL money had he returned to Chapel Hill.

While Veesaar’s decision may look like a bad one on the surface, he still ended up getting drafted, which was the goal at the end of the day. Despite a weird experience this week, Veesaar said at his introductory press conference for the Hawks that he is just excited to get to work at the next level.

Veesaar’s Thoughts

“For me, it was just being able to spend the time with my family, and the people around me, and just knowing that I come from a small country and being able to see that the hard work is paying off and being able to finally get to the NBA level is a special moment,” Veesaar said.

“You just kind of feel like all the blood, sweat, and tears paid off finally, and you can see that the steps you're taking are moving the right way. Just being able to be at a program that prioritizes player development is huge. Seeing that you always have a lot of steps to take in your career, and having the support staff they have is incredible.”

Veesaar will now look to prove that his draft slippage was a mistake by NBA teams as he has a chance to prove himself with a young, up-and-coming Hawks team.

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