Where UNC's Veesaar Ranks Amongst Peers Ahead of Draft Night

Veesaar is considered one of the higher end players available.

UNC basketball's Henri Veesaar | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For North Carolina forward Henri Veesaar, his draft case is one of the more polarizing of any player in this year’s class.

Veesaar — a 7-foot, 225-pound big man from Estonia — was largely unknown before this past college basketball season. Prior to transferring to UNC, Veesaar spent two seasons as a reserve center with the Arizona Wildcats. While he did show some improvement over the course of his time there, no one could’ve expected what he’d become with the Tar Heels.

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

Veesaar Last Season

Last season with UNC, he averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent from the floor, and 43 percent from three-point range. He, alongside star freshman Caleb Wilson, combined to make up one of the top frontcourts in the country last season. 

After taking some time to mull a potential return to Chapel Hill for next season, Veesaar opted to keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft in light of the coaching change at UNC. The university fired Hubert Davis at the season’s conclusion and ended up hiring former NBA champion Michael Malone. 

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

His ability to space the floor at his size, while also working the glass on the interior, has earned him some first-round draft hype heading into the 2026 NBA Draft. His stock has risen considerably since the beginning of the season, as Veesaar was hardly considered on any draft boards before his breakout season. 

However, some of his weaknesses include a lack of defensive intensity on the interior, which could present a problem at the next level if he wishes to continue playing center. While Veesaar isn’t considered a potential lottery pick at this moment, the general thought is that he will be a late-first-round pick. Regardless, it’s a much higher projection than what he had at the beginning of the year when he was still very much unknown to the masses. 

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

Where Veesaar Ranks

ESPN’s Jeremy Woo recently ranked Veesaar as the 28th best player available on his Top 100 Big Board, meaning that he has the chance to be chosen late in the first round of the draft. Veesaar is one of three UNC players to make the cut, joining Wilson, who is ranked fourth, and guard Seth Trimble, who is ranked as the 90th best player in this year’s class. He’ll look to prove his worth throughout the rest of the draft process as he tries to improve his draft stock even further.