Henri Veesaar Falls to No. 52, Sacrificing $5.5 Million-Plus in NIL
Updated
Updated · Bleacher Report · Jun 25
Henri Veesaar Falls to No. 52, Sacrificing $5.5 Million-Plus in NIL
1 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Jun 25
Summary
No. 52 pick Henri Veesaar landed with Atlanta after a Clippers trade, a far steeper drop than his borderline first-round projections entering the 2026 NBA draft.
At least $5.5 million in NIL money was likely left on the table because the former North Carolina star chose not to return to college, according to a coach cited by Field of 68.
Multiple schools had offered Veesaar at least $6 million through the transfer portal, while only the draft's top 10 picks are set to make more than $6.1 million in 2026-27.
Second-round status also weakens his contract security: unlike first-rounders, Veesaar is not assured two guaranteed rookie years and must negotiate terms with the Hawks.
The slide followed a strong UNC season—17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, plus All-ACC second-team honors—as Veesaar had argued that reaching the NBA faster would speed his development.