He Can Dunk on Anybody”: The Shocking Reason UNC’s Henri Veesaar Chose the Tar Heels

“He Can Dunk on Anybody”: The Shocking Reason UNC’s Henri Veesaar Chose the Tar Heels

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — When Arizona big man Henri Veesaar hit the transfer portal, most people assumed he’d have a long list of visits. Instead, he only needed one  to Chapel Hill  thanks to the surprising influence of two familiar names: Seth Trimble and Caleb Love.

Veesaar revealed Wednesday that he studied Trimble’s game in detail before deciding, even digging up specific clips to watch how the UNC guard operated in key moments. And once he visited, spending time with Trimble sealed the deal.

“Seth was huge in my decision,” Veesaar admitted. “The way he drives downhill, I think we’ll work perfectly. I can pop out on screens, and he’ll have more room to attack. He’s such a good passer out of the pick-and-roll — he sees everything. And his athleticism is crazy. He can dunk on anybody, seven-footer or not. Defenses have to respect that, and it just opens everything up for me.”

That vision  a 7-foot Veesaar rolling to the rim while Trimble, Kyan Evans or Luka Bogavac tear apart defenses  could turn UNC into one of the most exciting teams in the country this season.

Veesaar is the crown jewel of Hubert Davis’ massive roster overhaul. Alongside him are portal additions Evans, Ivan Matlekovic, Jonathan Powell, Jarin Stevenson and Jaydon Young, plus three heralded freshmen Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon and Caleb Wilson  and Bogavac, a four-year European pro.

UNC wasted no time in making him a priority. Four days after Arizona’s season ended in the Sweet 16 against Duke, Veesaar entered the portal on March 31. By April 1, he was in Chapel Hill. By April 4, he was committed.

“My dream is to get to the NBA,” Veesaar said. “This staff has all that league experience, they know what it takes. And when I saw the campus, the fans, the energy here  it was different. The whole city felt special. I knew this was the right place.”

Last season at Arizona, Veesaar played every game, averaging 9.4 points, 5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in just 20 minutes. He was even better in Big 12 play  10.9 points, 5.4 boards, 1.5 blocks while shooting 70 percent on two-pointers, ranking seventh in block rate and eighth in offensive rebounding percentage. He also showed his range with 16 threes, hitting nearly 60 percent from the floor overall.

And then there’s Caleb Love. The former Tar Heel, who spent three rollercoaster seasons in Chapel Hill before transferring to Arizona, had a big say in Veesaar’s decision.

“Caleb had a lot of influence,” Veesaar admitted. “I asked him how he really felt about UNC  the coaches, the program, everything. He told me it checked all the boxes. He said they’ll push me, they’ll make me better, and it’s a great place to be. That was all I needed to hear.”