The Atlanta Hawks selected former North Carolina forward Henri Veesaar with the No. 52 overall pick in the second round of the NBA draft on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-10 forward was projected as a first-round pick by ESPN, The Athletic, and USA TODAY Sports in recent mock drafts but slipped to the second round.
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Veesaar earned second-team All-ACC honors last season after transferring from Arizona. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels.
His scoring ranked eighth in the ACC, while his rebounding was fourth. He also recorded 15 double-doubles, the second-most in the conference.
“The University of North Carolina — thank you for the memories, the lessons and the brotherhood,” Veesaar said.
Before his single season at UNC, Veesaar spent three years at Arizona, including a redshirt year due to injury during his sophomore season.
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“It’s something I’ll carry with me forever. I’m proud to say I’m taking the next step and declaring for the NBA Draft.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the journey,” he said.
With Veesaar’s selection, both of North Carolina’s starting frontcourt players are heading to the NBA.
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Caleb Wilson was drafted No. 4 overall by the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.
