After a rough first night of the NBA draft, former North Carolina forward Henri Veesaar finally heard his name called Wednesday when the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the No. 52 overall pick.
Veesaar, who transferred from Arizona and played one season in Chapel Hill, earned second-team All-ACC honors last year. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, ranking eighth in scoring and fourth in rebounding in the ACC. His 15 double-doubles were second most in the conference and 17th nationally.
Despite ESPN, The Athletic and USA TODAY Sports projecting Veesaar as a first-round pick in their most recent mock drafts, the 6-foot-10 forward slipped into the second round and had to wait an extra day to be drafted.
Veesaar announced his decision to turn pro in April, thanking North Carolina as he declared for the draft.
“The University of North Carolina — thank you for the memories, the lessons and the brotherhood,” Veesaar said in his draft declaration. “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.”