Henri Veesaar’s decision to leave UNC for the NBA looked risky when the draft board didn’t break his way. Instead of hearing his name called in the late first round or early second, the former Tar Heel slid all the way to No. 52, a drop that had plenty of people wondering whether he’d misread the market.
That conversation has changed quickly.
On Wednesday, Veesaar agreed to his rookie contract with the Atlanta Hawks, and the deal is far stronger than anyone would expect for the 52nd pick. He signed a four-year, $9.3 million contract, a guaranteed structure that matches what the 31st, 32nd and 35th picks received in last year’s draft.
Henri Veesaar has signed a four-year, $9.3 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, per sources.
Veesaar was the 52nd pick in the draft. The structure of the deal is the same as the 31st, 32nd and 35th picks in last year’s draft. pic.twitter.com/E3KV9tCnLX
- Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) July 1, 2026
For a player taken that late, landing a contract like that is a major win. It also suggests his camp handled the process with real discipline, likely passing on offers that would have locked him into a lesser path, including a two-way deal that would have paid much less.
There was always another argument for Veesaar to stay in college. He had an extra year of eligibility left, and UNC could have offered a sizable NIL payday.
But that route came with its own uncertainty, especially with the draft age curve working against him. Waiting another year would have meant being older in a league that tends to favor younger prospects.
And while the chance to play for Michael Malone would have appealed to a big man chasing the next level, there was no guarantee Veesaar would have been the right fit in that system. Choosing the pros also spared him from moving on to a third college coach in three years, and NBA organizations can offer plenty of support through the development process.
The debate isn’t gone entirely, because Veesaar still has to prove himself on the court. But the contract changes the story in a big way. What once looked like a mistake now looks a lot more like a smart bet that paid off.
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