College basketball is simply different in Chapel Hill, as it truly is a whole community type of affair.
It hasn't taken Arizona transfer big man Henri Veesaar long to realize that, as he admitted that while speaking to the media on Tuesday as part of the annual ACC Tipoff Event in Charlotte, North Carolina.
🗣️ "I'm just feeling the love of the community and seeing what the school really means to the whole community of Chapel Hill and everywhere in North Carolina."
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) October 7, 2025
New Tar Heel Henri Veesaar sees you, @UNC_Basketball fans. pic.twitter.com/UFguffptQ9
"I'm just feeling the love of the community and seeing what the school really means to the whole community of Chapel Hill and everywhere in North Carolina."
Not only did Veesaar talk about the love he (and his teammates) feel from the Chapel Hill community, the junior big man seems to be amazed at just how dedicated the alumni of the program are to the current state of the program.
Veesaar discussed how the former Tar Heels come back to campus, putting all their effort into competing against the current players. These former players come back to Chapel Hill looking to share their wisdom and knowledge with the current team, hoping to make at least a little impact on them as they embark on a new season with the program.
Not only are the coaches, players and fans fully invested, the alumni are just as locked in as well.
Veesaar serves as one of the most important transfer portal additions for the UNC basketball program leading up to the 2025-2026 season. His seven-foot frame is meaningful enough (following last year's lack of height in the front court), but that's just the start of what he can bring to the table for this year's squad.
Based on his comments at ACC Tipoff, it seems that Veesaar already understands how the UNC basketball program is much more than just what occurs on the court.