Who are the North Carolina Tar Heels' Top 2026 NBA Draft Prospects?

The North Carolina Tar Heels are one of college basketball's storied programs.

UNC has claimed six NCAA championships in its history, most recently in 2017. The school has also finsihed as the NCAA runner-up six times, most recently in 2022.

Throughout the team's history, North Carolina has produced a number of talented NBA players, including Michael Jordan, Vince Carter and James Worthy. Recently, the school has been home to players like 2019 first-round pick Coby White and 2025 first-round pick Drake Powell.

This season, the Tar Heels could turn out a few more NBA players, as Hubert Davis and company have brought in multiple freshman and transfers with the potentail to be draft picks.

Here are UNC's top prospects heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

1. Caleb Wilson

Listed at 6-foot-10 and 215 pounds, Wilson was rated a five-star recruit in the 2025 class.

According to 247Sports, the McDonald's All-American was the No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 3 power forward in the cycle. Wilson has the potential to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft if he performs well in his first season of college basketball.

A solid passer with good athleticism and size, Wilson fits well with the modern style of basketball and should be one of the focal points in North Carolina's scheme. If Wilson makes the most of his opportunities, he will garner plenty of interest from NBA teams at the top of the draft.

2. Henri Veesaar

A transfer from Arizona, the combination of Veesaar and Wilson should give the Tar Heels a formidable front court.

Listed at 7-feet tall and 225 pounds, the junior from Estonia averaged 9.4 points, five rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore with the Wildcats. After starting his career in 2022-23, Veesaar was sidelined during the 2023-24 season after suffering a dislocated elbow.

In 2024-25, though, Veesaar performed well and showed flashes of NBA potential. If the talented big man continues to improve, it would not be surprising to hear his name come up in late first round conversations.

The son of a professional table tennis competitor, Veesaar played basketball for Real Madrid prior to his time in the NCAA.

3. Jonathan Powell

Another transfer, Powell came to UNC following a solid freshman season at West Virginia.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds, the former three-star recruit averaged 8.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first season of college basketball, shooting 37.8% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc on 5.7 attempts per game.

Powell's size could intrigue NBA scouts, especially if the former Mountaineers' wing player takes another step forward as a sophomore.

4. Seth Trimble

A veteran guard, Trimble has spent all three years of his college career at North Carolina after being a four-star recruit.

Listed at 6-foot-3, Trimble's height may be a concern for some teams, but the senior's experience and basketball IQ could be enough to earn him a spot in the 2026 NBA Draft class.

As a junior, Trimble averaged 11.6 points, five rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game whlie shooting 42.8% from the field and 26.6% from deep.

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