Henri Veesaar's NBA Draft Stock Drops Into Second Round Following Risky Decision

North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar bet on himself when he decided to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the decision looks more and more costly with each passing day.

Veesaar broke out into stardom with the Tar Heels last season after rotting away on the bench with the Arizona Wildcats for three years. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, while shooting torrid numbers from both the field, and from three-point range.

Veesaar Opts To Stick With Draft

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after scoring Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. VCU Rams won 82-78 in OT. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After that spectacular season, Veesaar mulled a decision to stay in the draft, or return to college and play under new head coach Michael Malone. He waited until the last minute, but Veesaar ultimately decided to take the risk, and keep his name in the draft instead of going back to school.

The 7-foot big man offers a versatile skillset, especially when it comes to scoring the ball, and crashing the glass for rebounds. While his offensive traits can certainly help many teams at the next level, some of his shortcomings such as his lack of rim protection, and lack of shot creation have hurt his draft stock a bit in recent weeks.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) dunks the ball against the VCU Rams in the second 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

His draft stock has fluctuated throughout the offseason. Some mock drafts have projected him as high as a top-20 pick in the first round of the draft, while others believe he isn’t a first-round pick at all, and will be chosen in the second round.

Where Veesaar Is Projected to Land

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

The Atheltic’s Sam Vecenie is one of those Veesaar doubters. In his latest mock draft, he has Veesaar being chosen with the 33rd overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets. Landing with the lowly Nets in the second round would be arguably a worst-case scenario for Veesaar, as not only would he not see himself get drafted in round 1, but the Nets’ current roster situation isn’t the most favorable for playing time right away.

The Nets drafted five players in last year’s draft, and all are going to need extensive playing time to develop. As such, Veesaar falls further down the pecking order in Brooklyn as the team continues its rebuild.

UNC center Henri Veesaar during a press conference on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in the Smith Center media room. | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He would be much better served as a backup center on a contending team that would allow him to get spot minutes and reps in the G-League if needed.

Naturally, it’s always a risky maneuver to forego college eligibility in search of a pro career, but right now, the risk doesn’t seem to be paying dividends for Veesaar barring any major changes.

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