UNC center Henri Veesaar plans to leave Chapel Hill and declare for the NBA Draft.

The news came as Veesaar was approaching the deadline to enter his name to the draft process, which is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 24.

“This journey didn’t happen alone,” Veesaar said in a statement Friday evening. “To my family — thank you for every sacrifice, every late night, every moment you believed in me before anyone else did. To my friends, teammates and coaches — thank you for being part of the grind and helping shape me into who I am today. The University of North Carolina — thank you for the memories, the lessons and the brotherhood.  It’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”

Veesaar spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Arizona, redshirting one due to an injury. He flourished in Chapel Hill after becoming a full-time starter, posting career highs in minutes (31.4), points (17.0), rebounds (8.7) and assists (2.1) per game. The seven-footer also became UNC’s best three-point shooter, making 42.6 percent of his attempts.

Veesaar missed two games for UNC with a midseason injury but started every other game in which he appeared. In those 31 games, Veesaar only failed to reach double figures one time. He scored at least 20 points nine times and recorded 15 double-doubles. Veesaar recorded career highs in both points and rebounds with a 28-point, 17-rebound performance in an ACC Tournament loss to Clemson. He was named second team All-ACC.

Veesaar is currently projected to be a late first-round pick in this summer’s draft. Teammate Caleb Wilson is expected to be one of the first players picked in the draft, which would give Carolina multiple first-round picks in the same year for the first time since 2019. The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23 and 24 in Brooklyn. Notably, draft entries have until May 27 to change their mind and withdraw their name from the player pool.

Should Veesaar elect to stay in the draft, his departure leaves a massive hole on UNC’s depth chart. The only center currently on the Tar Heel roster is Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue, who committed to the program Tuesday. Logue appeared in 28 games as a sophomore for the Owls last season. James Brown, Zayden High and Ivan Matlekovic, UNC’s reserve post players during the 2025-26 season, have all entered the transfer portal.

 

Featured image by Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Report: Buffalo Transfer Angelo Brizzi Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Angelo Brizzi, who spent the 2025-26 season with Buffalo, reportedly committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the transfer portal Wednesday. Inside Carolina first reported the news. UNC will be Brizzi’s fifth school in five years. The guard began his career at Villanova in 2022 – entering college in the same class […]
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 Season
As Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
Former UNC Player Ed Davis Among Several Indicted in NBA Gambling Scandal
Ed Davis, who played for the UNC men’s basketball team from 2008 through 2010 and helped the Tar Heels win the 2009 national title, is among six former NBA players who are being charged with conspiracy, bribery and money laundering as the result of a federal investigation. An indictment published Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s […]
Check out the Full Schedule for UNC's ACC Network Takeover
The ACC Network will air a full day of UNC games from the 2025-26 academic year Wednesday, July 1. It’s part of a series of ACC Network Takeovers, which started June 24 and include all 18 member schools. UNC’s takeover includes wall-to-wall coverage from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The broadcast day gets underway with […]
UNC Men's Basketball to Face Illinois in Nashville Hoops Showdown in January
UNC is adding another high-level non-conference matchup to its 2026-27 schedule. The Tar Heels will face Illinois in the Nashville Hoops Showdown on Saturday, Jan. 30. The matchup has been confirmed by both programs and by Bridgestone Arena, which will host the game. Tar Heels 🆚 Fighting Illini in Nashville pic.twitter.com/UuhExCctMB — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) […]
UNC's Henri Veesaar Drafted by Los Angeles Clippers, Traded to Atlanta Hawks
Henri Veesaar is league-bound. The seven-foot center, who spent the 2025-26 season with UNC after committing to the Tar Heels out of the transfer portal, was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 52 overall pick in the NBA Draft, who then traded that pick to the Atlanta Hawks. Veesaar spent the first […]
UNC's Caleb Wilson Selected by Chicago Bulls with No. 4 Overall Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
Caleb Wilson is headed to the Windy City. The Chicago Bulls selected the star UNC freshman forward with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of Tuesday’s NBA Draft. Wilson is the highest-picked Tar Heel in the NBA Draft since Marvin Williams went No. 2 overall to the Atlanta Hawks in 2005. Carolina […]
UNC Men's Basketball to Host Arkansas, Women to Host LSU in 2026 ACC-SEC Challenge
The matchups have been set for both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball programs in the upcoming ACC-SEC Challenge: the men will host Arkansas on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at the Smith Center, while the women will host LSU on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Carmichael Arena. ACC/SEC challenge is set 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/AWzBSN1Cbv — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) […]
Greek Prospect Alexandros Samodurov Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Another international prospect is making his way to Chapel Hill. Alexandros Samodurov, who has played professionally in Greece since 2022, announced his commitment to head coach Michael Malone and UNC Saturday. Samodurov, a 6-foot-11 forward, has played his entire professional career with the Greek club Panathinaikos. The club has seen sustained success during his time […]
ACC Opponents Set for 2026-27 UNC Men's Basketball Season
The UNC men’s basketball program revealed its ACC opponents for the 2026-27 season. It will be the second since the league shifted from a 20-game schedule to an 18-game schedule. Like in 2025-26, the Tar Heels will play two opponents twice, 14 opponents once and not play one other league school at all during the […]
›