Henri Veesaar was incredibly vulnerable after NBA Draft fall no one saw coming

While it was thrilling to watch Caleb Wilson get drafted fourth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, it was a complete shock to watch Henri Veesaar slide further and further down the board.

The first round came and went, and the UNC center still hadn't heard his name called. While he did hear his name in the second round, going 52nd overall to the Atlanta Hawks, the fall was a surprise to everyone watching, including Veesaar himself.

"I mean, yeah, I was surprised about not being in the first round and sliding, but honestly, I'm so happy about being a Hawk. They're one of the teams that we wanted to come to," Veesaar said once he arrived in Atlanta. "Not hearing [my name] the first day, obviously, it didn't feel great. I was a little bit surprised."

Veesaar also let everyone know that while the second round wasn't where he expected to go, he and his agent worked together to ensure that he landed with the best franchise possible for his career.

"I talked with my agent, my family, and we think it's a great fit. Especially the player development that this organization has. I think it's a big thing for me. I want to get a lot better, and I feel like, especially coming as a rookie, that's one of the things that you have to prioritize, is getting better, getting stronger," Veesara said.

Henri Veesaar hoped to slide to the Hawks in Round 2 after first-round snub

After he wasn't selected in the first round, most people expected that Veesaar would hear his name called early on the second night of the Draft. Yet, a dozen selections came and went, and he still hadn't been drafted.

However, Veesaar said a lot of that was part of the plan. After missing the first round, he shared that he and his representation actually worked to push him further down the draft board instead of leaping at the first opportunity to head to the NBA.

"Second day, we were talking with my agents, and we talked to the Hawks, and we felt like that was the best fit, and then we kinda tried to force our way down... to get to the Hawks... Tried to get them to trade up, tried to push ourselves down," Veesaar said. "Being able to get here, the city, and get to the organization."

Also read: Atlanta Hawks exec couldn't hide his excitement after drafting Henri Veesaar

Of course, the surprise slide beyond the first round must have stung after his impressive collegiate career for the Arizona Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. He was asked if it had placed a chip on his shoulder or if it was motivating him. His response? Simple.

"Hell yeah!" Veesaar said.

Veesaar and Wilson were the only former Tar Heels taken during the 2026 NBA Draft. Star guard Seth Trimble went undrafted through the two rounds. However, he has emerged as one of the top undrafted free agents for NBA franchises to target.

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