Hawks 2026 Second-Round Draft - A Winning Hand?
Projected as a first-rounder, UNC Center Henri Veesaar fell all the way to 52nd, where Atlanta was waiting to pick him up.
If someone asks you to play 52 Pick-Up, always say “no”. Unless you’re the Atlanta Hawks, and UNC’s Henri Veesaar is still around at the 52nd pick in the NBA draft. In that case, say “yes”, play the game, and hope you walk away with a winning hand.
A 6’11”, 227 lb center with solid junior year stats of 17 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, Veesaar was an anticipated late first-round pick. When he wasn’t chosen on the first night of the draft, experts assumed he would go early in the second round.
Apparently, Veesaar’s agents had alerted teams that he wouldn’t sign a two-way contract, and this caused him to fall further down the draft ladder. That drop allowed the Hawks to swoop in and get him. After trading their 57th pick and an undisclosed amount of cash for the LA Clippers’ 52nd pick, jumping ahead of the Knicks and Lakers (who both had their eyes on the Estonian big man), the Hawks were able to add Veesaar to the roster.
By foregoing his senior year of college, Veesaar reportedly will miss out on what could have been as much as $6 million in NIL money. Also, had he stayed in school an additional year, he likely would have gone higher in the 2027 NBA draft and received the two-year contract guaranteed to first-round picks.
While there aren’t any details available yet on Veesaar’s contract with the Hawks, we can hope that his agents didn’t steer him horribly wrong, and his NBA contract will help recoup some of his potential NIL earnings.
NBA Outlook for Veesaar
Veesaar provides what the Hawks hoped, but failed, to get from Krystaps Porziņğis last season — a stretch big man who can shoot, pass, and defend the paint. Porziņğis obviously has all of these capabilities and is a proven superstar when on the court, but unfortunately, he couldn’t stay healthy during his time with the Hawks.
Like Porziņğis, Veesar has a nice outside shooting touch. He hit 42% of his threes last year and made 60% of his off-the-dribble shots at the NBA combine, ranking third out of all players who participated. Aside from outside shooting, he shows a soft touch near the basket but can also finish strong at the rim. In short, he has the type of inside-out game coveted in so many of today’s most effective big men.
As for challenges in adjusting to the NBA game, Veesaar will face stronger, faster, and more physical opponents. He’ll need to add strength in the offseason and over the course of his early NBA years to compete effectively at the pro level. This is the story with many NBA rookies, though, and at only 22, he has plenty of time to bulk up.
To fit into the Hawks rotation, Veesaar will have to work for his spot. He’ll likely see relatively little playing time initially as a third-string center behind Jock Landale and Onyeka Okongwu. The Hawks can give him time to develop in G League play, if they choose, but he will still count toward one of their 15 roster spots.
Overall, I’m optimistic about Veesaar’s NBA potential as he develops over the next couple of years. I’m not saying he’ll be a future MVP, but as we’ve seen with Nikola Jokić, you can’t count a player out just because he isn’t explosively athletic and doesn’t get drafted until the second round.
As with one of the Hawks’ other picks, Zuby Ejiofor, I like that Veesaar has shown improvement year-over-year. In his first two seasons at Arizona, he averaged 2.4 points and 9.4 points, respectively. That kind of steady improvement hints at his work ethic, and you can feel the dedication from Veesaar himself as he discusses the journey from his native country, Estonia, to the NBA.
"I come from a small country and being able to see that the hard work is paying off and being able to finally get there to the NBA level is a special moment. You just kind of feels like all the blood, sweat, and tears paid off finally and you can see that the steps you're taking is moving the right way."
In the Hawks’ initial press conference introducing their 2026 draft class, you can hear Onsi Saleh, Hawks President of Basketball Operations, echo this sentiment as he discusses the Hawks’ draft class college origins.
"These are programs where guys work, and that's not going to change when they come to the next level."
Looking at Veesaar’s work ethic, the rigors of his college program, and the Hawks’ focus on player development, Veesaar is in the right place to launch his NBA career. Nobody ever really “wins” 52 Pick-Up, but if the Hawks’ bet on Veesaar pays off, they might come closer than most.