From Arizona to Chapel Hill: Caleb Love Steers Henri Veesaar to North Carolina

From Arizona to Chapel Hill: Caleb Love Steers Henri Veesaar to North Carolina

When Henri Veesaar officially entered the transfer portal this offseason, the skilled 7-footer wasn’t locked into one particular destination. Instead, he wanted to explore his options, weigh his opportunities carefully, and land somewhere that would challenge him to reach his full potential.

As interest poured in from several major programs, one school in particular began to stand out: North Carolina. With Hubert Davis aggressively rebuilding his roster, the Tar Heels were in need of proven frontcourt help, and Veesaar’s blend of size, mobility, and versatility made him an ideal fit.

But before making the leap across the country, Veesaar tapped into a trusted resource  a player who knows Chapel Hill better than most and whose word carried significant weight.

That resource was Caleb Love.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Veesaar recalled how he leaned heavily on the advice of Love, who he built a close relationship with while the two were teammates at Arizona. For Veesaar, Love’s voice was more than just casual feedback; it was an insider’s perspective from someone who had lived the UNC experience in its most intense form.

“It had a lot of influence,” Veesaar admitted. “I’m very close with Caleb. Everything he said checked the boxes for me. He told me it was a great place, that they’d push me, that I’d definitely get better here. And honestly, that’s all I could ask for.”

That conversation may well have been the deciding factor in UNC securing one of the premier frontcourt transfers in the nation. Love, who dished out 337 assists during his three years with the Tar Heels, can now add one more to his tally  albeit in a different way. He assisted the program in landing a player who could end up being the cornerstone of its new roster.

For Tar Heel fans, it’s a reminder that Love’s legacy in Chapel Hill remains complicated, but also enduring. His on-court tenure ended with mixed emotions, and there are still some who point to the ups and downs of his UNC career with skepticism. But those lingering debates don’t erase the fact that Love continues to give back to the program, even indirectly.

The irony of it all is that while Love now plays his basketball elsewhere, he still found a way to make a meaningful contribution to Carolina’s future. For Hubert Davis, that contribution comes in the form of a 7-foot forward with legitimate NBA potential.

Veesaar, who averaged 9.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game at Arizona last season, enters Chapel Hill with expectations of taking a leap. His length and ability to step outside the arc make him a versatile piece, but pairing with UNC’s quick, attacking guards could be what unlocks his best basketball yet.

“He’s an amazing passer off the pick-and-rolls,” Veesaar said of returning guard Seth Trimble. “The way he drives downhill, I think we’re going to complement each other really well. I’ll be able to pop, and he’ll have more room to attack. He sees the pocket pass and the lob. With his athleticism, defenses have to make tough choices. That just opens up opportunities for me.”

It’s that kind of on-court synergy that UNC hopes can transform its revamped roster into an ACC contender. With Veesaar anchoring the frontcourt, new guards like Kyan Evans and Luka Bogavac joining the mix, and freshman five-star Caleb Wilson entering the fold, the Tar Heels are betting big on new faces.

Yet behind the scenes, it was an old face Caleb Love who helped set the stage.

For Tar Heel Nation, there may be no better way to describe it: once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel. And in this case, the assist might be one of Love’s most important plays yet.