NBA Draft: UNC big man Henri Veesaar falls to Hawks at No. 52 pick after forgoing reported $5 million NIL offer to stay in college
That's probably not how Henri Veesaar saw the 2026 NBA Draft playing out.
The UNC big man officially became the biggest faller of the draft on Wednesday, moving all the way down to the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 52 overall pick. The Clippers then reportedly flipped him to the Atlanta Hawks in a trade that sent back the No. 57 pick and cash.
Veesaar was considered a potential first-round pick going into the draft after an excellent junior season at UNC. Even after going unselected in the first round, he was widely expected to be one of the first names called once the second round began.
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor ranked him as the draft's No. 26 overall prospect, with the following appraisal:
Veesaar is an agile big with real shooting touch, connective playmaking, and baseline big skills with the ability to set screens and catch lobs. He also offers rim protection and is a locked-in help defender. In all three of his collegiate seasons, he made a massive leap in production each year. But he's 227 pounds so his lanky frame can get pushed around, plus he still hasn't fully defined his cornerstone skill.
Making it a particularly rough night for Veesaar were reports from Matt Norlander of CBS Sports and Field of 68's Jeff Goodman that Veesaar rejected an NIL deal worth more than $5 million for next season to remain in one of the strongest drafts in living memory. That's more than the 14th overall pick of the draft will make next season.
Of course, there is no set salary scale for second-rounders, so the Hawks could help make the move worth it for Veesaar. But plans rarely revolve around waiting until the 52nd pick.
