After taking some time to think things over, yes, UNC losing Henri Veesaar stings and it stings badly. We're not going to deny that losing a player of his caliber is going to hurt Michael Malone as he gets ready for his debut season in Chapel Hill.
James Brown finds a new home with hopes of finally reaching his potential
Is it the end of the world, though? Not quite. Malone has picked up four new commits via the transfer portal and he's still got plenty of work left to fill out the roster. On top of that, with Veesaar's NIL money, reported to be in the $4 million range, free, Carolina can see if maybe one of the top portal centers wants to join the ACC. Or, going after an international big makes sense too.
For now, the starting five is projected to be Terrence Brown, Matt Able, Neoklis Avdalas, Jarin Stevenson and TBD at center, though we'll slot in Maxim Logue there for now. Yes, again, having Veesaar at the five would have been spectacular, but the cupboard isn't bare for this team.
UNC still has plenty of Henri Veesaar replacements to go after
In terms of the portal, Moustapha Thiam was a stud plenty of fans had their eyes on. Unfortunately, he just committed to Michigan, so you can take him off the wishlist. What about Massamba Diop? All signs are pointing to St. John's, but maybe a last-minute call from Malone can change things?
Then of course, don't forget about the overseas options that are on the table. From our chair, an intriguing standout would be Barcelona's Sayon Keita as a name to keep an eye on moving forward. He's already been linked to the Heels and you simply can't teach his 7-0, 215-pound size.
With Veesaar, the hope was that maybe he'd test the draft waters and then return to Carolina if he wasn't a lock to be a first-rounder, but he's set on staying in and that's not going to change. It's up in the air if he will indeed end up being a first-round pick or not. If he falls to the second round, he could end up regretting his decision.
So, what does this all mean for Malone and his staff? It means that they've got to work overtime and fast in finding a suitable big to help out on both ends of the floor. For now, Brown, Able, Avdalas, Stevenson and Logue would be the starters if the Heels had a game tomorrow. With that said, everything could change there at the drop of a hat when a new center commit comes in. Don't be too anxious over this, Tar Heel fans. Let Malone cook before you start doubting him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google