The Los Angeles Lakers are set to go on the clock with the 25th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Being so deep down the order, a lot can happen to shake up the draft board. But a little less than one month away from the big night, CBS Sports’ Adam Finklestein predicts that the University of North Carolina center Henri Veesaar could be a realistic selection.
Henri Veesaar’s Journey To The States
GettySALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 24: Keba Keita #13 of the Brigham Young Cougars fights for control fo the ball with Henri Veesaar #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their exhibition game at the Delta Center on October 24, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
The Estonian prospect came to the States and attended Arizona for three years.
As a freshman, Veesaar came off the bench for 29 games. He averaged 7.1 minutes of action, producing averages of 2.4 points and coming down with 1.5 rebounds per game.
In year two, Veesaar redshirted. He returned to the court in year three for 37 games. The sophomore started five of those matchups. Seeing the court for 20.8 minutes per game, Veesaar produced 9.4 points per game, with 5.0 rebounds.
During the 2025-2026 NCAA season, Veesaar attended North Carolina and started all 31 games he played. The center had a career year, producing 17.0 points per game while shooting 60.8% from the field. Veesaar hit on 42.6% of his threes, and he also came down with 8.7 rebounds per game.
Veesaar Makes Sense For The Lakers
GettyDURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 07: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils attempts a shot against Henri Veesaar #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina.
“The Lakers are another team that is likely to look for a big man here, and while they may prefer a more defensive-oriented one, Veesaar’s combination of size and skill could be too much to pass up on,” Finklestein wrote.
“A stretch-five who shoots it with ease out to the three-point line, Veesaar can play out of dribble hand-offs, pass, and still space the floor vertically, but has to be more consistent defensively and on the glass.”
Finding consistent centers with versatility and more range on offense isn’t as rare as it used to be, but it’s still a challenge to find one.
Veesaar would bring a different look to LA in that sense. DeAndre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes are more traditional types at the big man position. Between Ayton and Hayes, they attempted three shots from deep all season long in 2025-2026.
Any pick this late into the first round would have a challenging time cracking the Lakers’ rotation right away, but bringing a different skill set to a position would give Veesaar a shot at early minutes if he ends up being the selection.