By R.L. Bynum
CHARLOTTE — When Henri Veesaar arrived in Chapel Hill last summer, he brought a distinctly European basketball mindset, one built on pace, precision and patience.
At 7–0, 225 pounds, the Estonian doesn’t look like some past Tar Heel big man who punished defenders in the post. But Veesaar’s presence inside may be the missing piece in North Carolina’s offense that will create better spacing than last season.
He’s not the kind of center who thrives on brute force. At ACC Tipoff on Tuesday at the Hilton Charlotte Downtown, he acknowledged that.
“Sometimes I play against big guys who weigh more than you, who are stronger than you,” Veesaar (pronounced VEH-sar) said. “You kind of have to find ways around it. You’ve got to use your quickness, kind of give them a little bump to get them off balance. Use my quick feet to get up and shoot maybe a little floater or hook shot over them, because I can always use my length.”
That awareness of his strengths and limits is what makes him dangerous. At Arizona last season, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds per game and 20.8 minutes while shooting 59.2% from the floor and making nearly 39% of his 3-point attempts in Big 12 play. He didn’t need to overpower anyone. He just needed space.
And that’s precisely what he’s getting at UNC.
In Coach Hubert Davis’s evolving system, spacing has become a priority. The Tar Heels want five shooters on the floor as often as possible, and Veesaar, who can stretch defenses beyond the arc, fits that perfectly.
“We can put on the court five guys who can shoot,” he said, mentioning that when Zayden High is at the five, he can also shoot. “You can have all five guys who are elite shooters. I think that’s really helpful for spacing. It gives Seth [Trimble] more room to get downhill. And for everybody.”
In practices and Saturday’s Blue-White scrimmage, Veesaar’s versatility was on display. He drifted to the perimeter on pick-and-pops, ran clean two-man actions with guards, and used his length to alter shots on defense. He’s not just another transfer filling a roster spot; he’s a skill piece designed to reshape how Carolina’s offense operates.
Assistant Coach Sean May, himself a Tar Heel legend inside and 2005 Final Four MOP, has taken a special interest in refining Veesaar’s approach. The two work daily on patience — when to face up, when to let cutters clear and when to attack.
“He’s been big on face ups,” Veesaar said. “They have to take their arm bar off you. Then you can drive into their hips, and they can’t really push you. You can always get your shot off.”
That subtlety of using angles, balance and timing reflects Veesaar’s background. He came through Real Madrid’s youth academy before playing two seasons over three years at Arizona, where he developed alongside former Tar Heel guard Caleb Love.
International basketball’s emphasis on space and skills shaped his path, and he’s bringing that philosophy to a team that, at times last year, struggled to unclog the lane.
But it’s not just about offense. Defensively, his length changes possessions. He ranked fourth in the Big 12 in block percentage last season and showed in Arizona’s NCAA tournament run that he goes after shots without fouling. His agility also gives UNC flexibility to switch or hedge ball screens.
In practice, Veesaar has been matched up with younger frontcourt teammates such as Zayden High and James Brown, each bringing a different kind of physical challenge.
“They’re strong,” he said. “Zayden, he can shoot it. He has really good footwork. JB’s is really good operating the short roll.”
Behind the scenes, he has worked closely with strength coach Jonas Sahratian to build a stronger frame.
“I’ve definitely gotten a lot stronger,” said Veesaar, crediting the five months he’s worked with Sahratian, saying he’s done lifts he never had done before. There is a rule that he has to put the weights down in three seconds. “Having the three seconds going down with a heavy weight makes a big difference. It’s really helping.”
When UNC’s offense clicks this season, it will often start with a high-ball screen involving Veesaar. Whether he rolls to the rim for a lob or drifts out to the perimeter, defenses will have to make a choice.
If they collapse, shooters such as Luca Bogavac and Jonathan Powell will have open shots. If they stay home, Veesaar’s touch around the rim likely produces points.
It’s exactly the evolution Hubert Davis has been aiming for, and a significant improvement on not having much of a tall post presence last season.
For Veesaar, the transition to UNC has been as much emotional as tactical.
“I remember coming on a visit and going on campus and seeing all these people and everybody so much cared about the program. That was just amazing,” Veesaar said
It’s that sense of belonging and belief that’s fueling him now.
Carolina didn’t just get a seven-footer from Arizona. They got a connector, a modern big man who stretches the floor, runs the floor and makes everyone else’s job easier.
The kind of player who may not always roar after a dunk, but who can quietly tilt a game and maybe even a season in the Tar Heels’ favor.
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Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar and the seven players who entered the transfer portal return, which would put UNC one under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 3 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Sayon Keita | C | 7–0 | 215 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–7 | 190 |
| Freshman | Alexandros Samodurov | C | 6–11 | 212 | |
| RS freshman | Cade Bennerman — W | C | 7–0 | 205 | |
| Sophomore | Neoklis Avdalas — X | G | 6–9 | 215 | |
| Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 180 | |
| Sophomore | Matt Able — Y | G | 6–5 | 196 | |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Z | G | 6–3 | 174 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
W — Northwestern transfer. X — Virginia Tech transfer; Y — N.C. State transfer; Z — Utah transfer
Michael Malone’s coaching staff: Chuck Martin, Bryan Tibaldi, Sean May and Pat Sullivan; Deon Thompson will be a graduate assistant, and Brandon Robinson will reportedly have a support staff position.
Players who left for the transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 |
Schedule so far
(Other than the ACC/SEC Challenge, games without links revealed from reporting by Alex Rosinski or Rocco Miller)
(11 of 14 games)
Nov. 2 — vs. Western Carolina
Nov. 6 — vs. Wofford
Nov. 10 — vs. Wyoming
Nov. 13 — vs. Georgia
Nov. 20 — vs. Marshall
Nov. 27 — vs. West Virginia at the Dick Vitale Invitational at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center
Dec. 1 — vs. Arkansas in ACC/SEC Challenge
Dec. 12 — at Georgetown
Dec. 19 — vs. Kentucky in CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 — vs. The Citadel
November or December — vs. Butler
ACC games
Home and away: Duke, Louisville
Home only: California, Georgia Tech, Miami, N.C. State, SMU, Stanford, Virginia
Away only: Boston College, Florida State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Top photo by Nell Redmond/theACC.com; action photos by Joshua Lawton
