The Tar Heels were able to take care of business on Saturday against Pittsburgh without its top two scorers and rebounders: Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
While it's clear that Wilson will be unavailable once again when the Tar Heels head to Raleigh to take on the NC State Wolfpack, Veesaar's status is still up in the air.
The junior big man not only dealt with the flu, but also has been impacted by a lower-body injury. While UNC claims the illness was what ultimately kept Veesaar out against Pittsburgh, both are certainly important to monitor.
On Monday, Hubert Davis met with the media for his weekly ACC coaches Zoom press conference. Right away, the Tar Heels head coach was asked to provide an update on Veesaar's health.
Video: #UNC coach Hubert Davis, at the weekly ACC coaches Zoom press conference, provides an update on Henri Veesaar’s status and talks about the challenges that N.C. State will present on Tuesday. https://t.co/kr1Lwv9VZA
— R.L. Bynum (@RL_Bynum) February 16, 2026
Davis confirms Veesaar's health is improving
“He had the flu, and that’s just not for one day, and he is feeling a lot better from that. And then the lower-body extremities, it’s getting better every day.”
While Davis emphasized that Veesaar is progressing, he did not commit to him playing on Tuesday night. With North Carolina scheduled to practice on Monday afternoon, it's likely that Davis and the Tar Heels' coaching staff will have a better grasp of the situation.
“He continues to feel better and get better… we’ve got practice this afternoon and we’ll just reevaluate and see how he’s doing and then move forward from there.”
The most likely scenario will be that the Tar Heels will see how much Veesaar can practice this afternoon before heading to Raleigh. Unless the data proves he 100% won't play on Tuesday night, look for him to be listed as questionable or even a game-time decision on the ACC Availability Report that will be released on Monday night.
Of course, UNC hopes that Veessaar will be able to return to the lineup, even if it's for limited action. However, don't be surprised if they take extreme caution in this case, as they want to avoid any serious injuries that could derail him for a longer period of time.
At this point, Veesaar's status for Tuesday's game is up in the air, and might just be that way until closer to tip-off.