Henri Veesaar is featured on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Preseason Watch List

With the priority of adding size at the forefront of operations this offseason, the UNC basketball program made a very strong push to bring in Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar.

Arguably the best big man that was available in the portal, Veesaar found a new home in Chapel Hill and now looks to embrace the opportunity to be a full-time starter for Hubert Davis' club. Even though he was primarily used in a reserve role a season ago, that doesn't take away from the hype surrounding him leading up to his junior season, as he's earned a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Preseason Watch List for the 2025-2026 season.

Now in its 12th year, the annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award honors the top centers in Division I men’s college basketball. Veesaar is one of just three ACC big men to make the initial cut, a list that players can work their way on (and off) throughout the regular season.

The Tallinn, Estonia native took a significant leap from his freshman to sophomore year, earning a much bigger role as a reserve for Tommy Lloyd's team. As a sophomore, Veesaar averaged 9.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in just under 21 minutes per contest. He shot 59.2% from the floor, including 32.7% from beyond the arc, as he isn't a big man who is limited to beating opposing defenses in the post.

Veesaar is expected to play a vital role for the UNC basketball program on both ends of the floor, as the hope is that vintage Carolina Basketball is set to return to Chapel Hill this fall. With Veesaar manning the middle, the Tar Heels have that big man who can fulfil the role of some of the legends of past, as he will be heavily relied upon as an offensive threat and will also be tasked with protecting the paint on the defensive side of the floor.

You can find the list of the 2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Preseason Watch List below:

2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates
Malique Ewin - Arkansas
Moustapha Thiam - Cincinnati
Owen Freeman - Creighton
Patrick Ngongba II - Duke
Alex Condon - Florida
Chris Cenac Jr. - Houston
Tomislav Ivišic - Illinois
Flory Bidunga- Kansas
Jayden Quaintance - Kentucky
Ernest Udeh Jr. - Miami
Aday Mara - Michigan
Rienk Mast - Nebraska
Henri Veesaar - North Carolina
Nate Bittle - Oregon
Oscar Cluff - Purdue
Robbie Avila - Saint Louis
Magoon Gwath - San Diego State
Zuby Ejiofor - St. John's
Felix Okpara - Tennessee
Tarris Reed Jr. - UConn