We know that Henri Veesaar has officially closed the door on a return to Chapel Hill, declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft with all intentions of keeping his name in it.
Now, Michael Malone and the Tar Heels must pivot quickly, as frontcourt options aren't very fruitful at the moment. While there are some college prospects available in the transfer portal, there's no one who can solely replace Veesaar's production, something that might take a whole unit to replace moving forward.
Even though transfer portal options might be limited, the international market could also help the Tar Heels add much-needed frontcourt depth. With this in mind, here are four international products that could become options for North Carolina:
Sayon Keita
UNC's interest in Keita dates back to last summer, when the seven-footer from Barcelona went on an official visit tour to six of college basketball's most prestigious programs.
Keita, a current Class of 2027 product, has always been viewed as a potential re-class option, one that would make total sense for North Carolina to pursue.
While he is a work in progress offensively, he possesses a strong ability to back down toward the basket and is highly efficient in the paint. He's a nice lob threat, which would work very well in UNC's pick-and-roll system, and is regarded as an elite defender and an outstanding rim protector.
In their quest for a big man, Keita might just be the guy who should be at the top of their wish list.
Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje
Another FC Barcelona standout, Boumtje-Boumtje is a seven-foot, 230-pound presence who also possesses nice skills from within the post.
Currently viewed as a top-20 caliber big man from the Class of 2027, he does have the ability to stretch the floor, which would be a nice asset for Michael Malone to work with as he aims to replace Veesaar's offensive production overall. However, he does a lot of damage in the post as well, which would give UNC another multi-dimensional big man to work with.
Mouhamed (Momo) Faye
A 6-foot-10 big man from Senegal, Faye might be more of a developmental piece for the Tar Heels.
However, there's a lot to like about his game, as Sean May might be able to tap into his potential to make him at least a quality rotation piece for Malone to operate with throughout the season.
NBA Draft Room had this to say about Faye's overall game:
Faye is a strong, physical big man who plays an old-school game. He does all of his damage in the paint and is an enforcer in the middle. He’s not very skilled with the ball in his hands but brings value as a rebounder, defender, screen-setter and rim-runner.
Luigi Suigo
Yes, Suigo declared for the 2026 NBA Draft and will go through the draft process.
However, it shouldn't stop the Tar Heels from at least reaching out to express their interest, letting him know that if plans change, Chapel Hill would be a really nice landing spot for the 19-year-old big man.
At 7-foot-3, 240-pounds, Suigo gives you Aday Mara vibes. A player like him could make a dynamic impact on the Tar Heels' front court.
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