It would be a massive understatement to say the NBA Draft did not go to plan whatsoever for former UNC standout Henri Veesaar. Not only did he not get picked in the first round, but he fell all the way to pick No. 52. The Atlanta Hawks took him off the board after a massive slide, but that fall could end up being a blessing in disguise for him.
Now that Veesaar is all set to suit up for the Hawks, he's going to have Onyeka Okongwu in front of him as Atlanta's starting center. However, Soaring Down South's Zach Langley thinks Veesaar could end up pushing Okongwu for minutes in the near future, as Okongwu's 6-10 frame is something that Atlanta faithful haven't been too fired up about.
"As long as he's (Veesaar) placed in the right system, he's expected to be a sure thing," Langley recently wrote. "Well, Atlanta is that perfect spot. Onyeka Okongwu, their current starting center, is excellent at what he's able to provide. He brings everything that would make the average modern big special, except his size, which has grown controversial in the Hawks community. It has quickly presented them with a major roster-construction problem."
Henri Veesaar is hoping to make the best of his new situation with the Atlanta Hawks
FanSided's Josh Yourish also wrote up after the draft that Veesaar's slide won't matter much if he's able to live up to his potential and reel in a big-time contract in the near future. It sure feels like Atlanta is going to provide him with a strong opportunity to do just that. The Hawks also drafted St. John's star Zuby Ejiofor, but he's a bit undersized himself at 6-8.
That's nothing to worry about with Veesaar, as the 7-footer is a strong force down in the paint and near the glass. What makes his game so intriguing too is that he also has the ability to shoot from the outside, connecting on 38.3 percent of his 3-point attempts during his playing days with both Arizona and UNC.
Veesaar only spent one season with North Carolina, but he was a pleasure to watch making plays for former head man Hubert Davis. The hope was that Veesaar would stay in Chapel Hill for one more season, but in our opinion he got some pretty bad advice to enter the draft and keep his name in there.
It led to him being a first-round snub, and then having to wait until the 50s to be taken off the board. Veesaar himself admitted it was a total shock for him to have to wait so long, but that he couldn't have been more thankful that he's starting his pro career in the Eastern Conference with the Hawks.
He's of course going to have a massive chip on his shoulder to prove everyone wrong, especially all the teams that passed up on him. With his size and talent, he will look to make an immediate impact during his rookie season. Luckily for Veesaar, Atlanta will give him the chance to silence the haters, and Carolina fans will be rooting for him too.
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