Latest Mock Draft Raises Concerns About UNC's Veesaar's Departure

The North Carolina Tar Heels are losing both Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar to the upcoming NBA Draft, which was expected this offseason.

While Wilson is entrenched as a top-five pick, Veesaar's range of where he will be selected varies between a late-first and early-second-round pick. On Friday, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman released an updated mock draft following what transpired at the NBA Scouting Combine last week. Here is where Wasserman had the 6-foot-11, 224-pound center coming off the board.

Veesaar Slips to No. 34 to the Sacramento Kings

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime 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

"Henri Veesaar became one of the draft's top play-finishers who also hit 40 three-pointers," Wasserman said. "He doesn't block many shots for a 7-footer, but offensively, he has become incredibly productive and efficient with a translatable and coveted inside-out scoring package."

What Veesaar Told Reporters Earlier This Month

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) rebounds the ball against VCU Rams forward Lazar Djokovic (17) 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

"I'm all-in on staying in the draft," Veesaar said. "It's 100% my decision to stay. I think it's the right decision, basketball-wise."

You can never blame a player for following their dreams and exploring the opportunity when it is there to be taken. However, there are several factors why Veesaar's decision could backfire in the long run.

Level of Risk

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

As mentioned, I am not going to blame Veesaar for entering the draft following a breakout campaign in 2025. That being said, there are two variables in this situation that Veesaar is making a high-risk decision, one he could ultimately regret.

First, this draft class is loaded with elite talent, which is why Veesaar could be forced out of the first round entirely. The first 15 picks could all be freshman talents, culminating as one of the deepest and potentially generational classes in recent memory. There's no guarantee that Veesaar duplicates what he did in 2025 if he were to return to Chapel Hill, but even if he came remotely close to last season's production and efficiency, the star center would easily be a first-round pick in 2027.

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

Secondly, and this ties into the last point, NIL is dominating roster-building in college sports, with student-athletes earning lucrative contracts through the transfer portal. If Veesaar ends up being a second-round pick, he would be turning down exponentially more money. The former Arizona and North Carolina center would have been offered more than $5 million to stay in Chapel Hill for one more season.

Again, credit to Veesaar for putting himself in this position, but if this mock draft foreshadows Veesaar's fate in the draft, it could prove a major regret.

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