Former North Carolina Tar Heels star Henri Veesaar will miss the entire 2026-27 season after suffering a torn ACL. 

Veesaar was entering his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks after he was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft. He played one year with the Tar Heels, averaging 17 points per game along with 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three.

The 22-year-old big man was a valuable floor spacer, rebounder, and shot blocker for North Carolina, and they will miss his presence on the team.

The Tar Heels are entering a new era of college basketball with Michael Malone taking over as the head coach. Malone previously spent time in the NBA, coaching the Denver Nuggets over a decade to a 471-327 record, including an NBA title.

He brings a ton of experience to the program and will look to reestablish North Carolina as one of the best programs in college basketball. 

To replace Veesaar at center, the Tar Heels brought in Sayon Keita from overseas. Keita is coming from overseas and is one of the promising additions that Malone has made to the roster.

Cameron Fens could also factor into the rotation in the front court after transferring from South Dakota, where he averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, shooting 57.9 percent from the field.

Another notable addition for North Carolina was Matt Able, who averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game at NC State, shooting 41.6 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from deep.

Able is a quality shooter and could be one of the Tar Heels' top scorers and shooters in the 2026-27 season. 

Neoklis Avdalas could also play a large role for North Carolina as a playmaker and scorer. Avdalas played the 2025-26 season at Virginia Tech, averaging 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, shooting 38.6 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from distance.

He wasn't efficient, but in a new system and with a year of experience in college basketball, he should be more efficient and maximize his play. 

With Malone at the helm and a ton of additions to the roster, the Tar Heels could have a bounce-back season and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Veesaar will be looking to recover from his injury and make his NBA debut in the 2027-28 season.