All articles tagged with #henri veesaar
The Atlanta Hawks acquired the draft rights to 6-11 center Henri Veesaar (52nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) from the LA Clippers in exchange for Narcisse Ngoy’s rights and cash. Veesaar starred at UNC in 2025-26, averaging 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, earning All-ACC Second Team honors and a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year finalist nod, with notable shooting efficiency and 15 double-doubles.
Atlanta Hawks selected UNC transfer Henri Veesaar with the 52nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, after a breakout season at North Carolina (17.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 42.6% 3PT, 60% FG) that included a 28-point, 17-rebound performance in the ACC Tournament and a 26-point, 10-rebound showing in the season finale.
Atlanta used cash to move up to No. 52 in the 2026 NBA Draft to select seven-foot stretch big Henri Veesaar from North Carolina, addressing the Hawks’ need for size and defense after last season’s Porzingis experiment.
Round 2 of the 2026 NBA Draft: Hawks land UNC center Henri Veesaar with No. 52 from the Clippers; Clippers send No. 55 (Nick Martinelli) to Houston and No. 57 (Narcisse Ngoy) to Atlanta plus cash; Rockets receive cash from LAC; the move comes as Atlanta rebuilds after Trae Young's deadline deal.
With 30 picks down and 30 to go, Duke wing Isaiah Evans and UNC big man Henri Veesaar sit among the top remaining prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, with mocks projecting them toward the late first or early second round; Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas and several others are also viewed as early-second-round targets, and teams may trade into picks around 31–32 as the two-day format unfolds.
Former UNC standout Henri Veesaar slid to No. 52 in the 2026 NBA draft (traded to the Hawks after a Clippers deal), and a coach said a 2026–27 NIL payday of about $5.5–$6 million was possible if he had stayed in college; with top-10 picks earning more than $6.1 million that season and second-round contracts not guaranteed, the slide likely cost him a sizable NIL windfall and leaves him to prove himself in the NBA.
Adam Finkelstein’s CBS Sports 2026 Round 2 mock draft projects the final 30 picks (31–60) after a first round where top prospects slid into the second. It provides 30 projections by pick, team, and basic stats, with early highlights including Henri Veesaar to the Knicks (31), Meleek Thomas to the Grizzlies (32), Isaiah Evans to the Timberwolves (33), and Baba Miller to the Cavaliers (34), illustrating teams’ pursuit of role players and upside in the late first/early second round.
UNC added three transfers—Terrence Brown (Utah), Matt Able (N.C. State) and Maxim Logue (Florida Atlantic)—to boost backcourt scoring and frontcourt depth, while center Henri Veesaar’s future remains unresolved as he weighs returning for UNC or entering the NBA draft; his choice will determine whether Michael Malone can build a high-functioning core or whether UNC needs another big-man addition amid a busy spring.
North Carolina’s bid to ride momentum into the NCAA Tournament hit a snag as Clemson held on for an 80-79 win in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. The Tar Heels trailed by 18 in the second half but a late surge led by Henri Veesaar, who finished with a career-high 28 points and 17 rebounds, pulled UNC within one in the final seconds before Jarin Stevenson’s last-second heave missed. Clemson’s bench outscored UNC 29-5 and the Tigers maintained better physicality throughout the game. UNC, now 24-8, heads to the NCAA Tournament after back-to-back losses, while dealing with injuries to Caleb Wilson (recently broke a right-hand thumb) and center Carter Welling (torn ACL).
UNC collapsed in the second half against Duke, surrendering a 30-6 run after a competitive first half. The Tar Heels committed 14 turnovers and were dominated on the boards (Duke with 18 offensive rebounds to UNC's 5), leading Henri Veesaar to bluntly say they were outworked. With Caleb Wilson sidelined for the season, UNC faces a tougher path into the NCAA Tournament unless they address effort and rebounding."
UNC center Henri Veesaar is questionable for Saturday’s road game at Syracuse after a lower-extremity injury, with coach Hubert Davis saying he’s improving but limited in practice; he hasn’t played since the Miami game, while UNC also contends with other frontcourt injuries and absences, leaving Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High to share the workload as UNC seeks to rebound in ACC play.
UNC center Henri Veesaar remains day-to-day as he recovers from a lower-extremity issue and illness, with coach Hubert Davis saying he’s improving each day but still held out of practice and ruled out for Tuesday’s loss to NC State; the Arizona transfer is UNC’s second-leading scorer and a key contributor (16.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 44.8% 3PT) with 13 double-doubles this season, and the team willwait for an update Friday ahead of Saturday’s game against Syracuse.
UNC lists Henri Veesaar as probable for Saturday’s game vs. Pittsburgh after a lower-body issue; he played 33 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to Miami with 11 points and 6 rebounds and is expected to be ready, while Isaiah Denis is also listed as probable. Caleb Wilson is out indefinitely with a fractured left hand, and James Brown and Ivan Matlekovic remain sidelined, leaving UNC to rely on its available roster as it tries to rebound from the Miami defeat.
Carolina trailed Cal by 15 at halftime and couldn’t sustain a comeback as Cal shot 55.9% from the field (62.5% from three) in the first half. UNC’s defense struggled on the West Coast, and a late surge went 4-for-19 from three in the final 10 minutes, sealing an 84-78 loss. Derek Dixon started and urged better defense; Veesaar had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Wilson contributed late free throws and a late miss, and Hubert Davis acknowledged the team faced adversity and must fight through it.
No. 17 North Carolina survived a Wake Forest rally to win 87-84 at the Smith Center, led by Caleb Wilson (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Henri Veesaar (25 points, 9 rebounds) as they combined for 47 points and 21 boards, with Jaydon Young adding 12 off the bench.