Estonian national team center Henri Veesaar is getting ready for the NBA draft, which takes place in late June.
Media outlets in the U.S. have in their draft previews projected the Estonian to land near the end of the first round: CBS Sports links him with the Atlanta Hawks (23rd pick), ESPN with the Los Angeles Lakers (25th pick), NBA Draft Room with the Boston Celtics (27th pick), and Bleacher Report with the Minnesota Timberwolves (28th pick).
The 22-year-old, 213-centimeter-tall Veesaar declared for the NBA draft at the end of April and had been playing in the NCAA up to now.
Veesaar has been in Chicago since last Sunday, along with over 70 other top players looking for an NBA break and showcasing their skills and metrics to spectators who include team scouts.
The Estonian did have the option of remaining in the NCAA for another season, but told ESPN Wednesday that after discussing his future plans with North Carolina's new head coach Michael Malone, he ultimately opted to stay in the draft. "That decision was 100 percent mine. I'm confident it's the right step," he said.
Veesaar denied this was due to financial motivations. "Making money is an important part of life. It does open doors and allows you to take care of your family, but I have never made decisions based on money. When I went to Real Madrid's academy at age 15, I could have asked for more money, but didn't. My bigger goal was to reach the NCAA. When choosing a university, I also didn't base my decision on who offered me the most money. Instead, I chose the place where I had the best opportunity to develop," Veesaar went on.
He noted that he is ready to test himself in the NBA both as a center, his regular position, and also as a power forward. "My position depends on the team's style of play. I'm a very versatile player who can handle both positions."
The Estonian listed his NBA role models as including Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Lithuanian player Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings), son of Hall of Fame player Arvydas Sabonis, and Isaiah Hartenstein (Oklahoma City Thunder), with the last of these the most influential on him. However: "There's something to learn from every NBA player," he noted.
Veesaar also gave an NBA Draft Combine interview, which can be watched below.
The NBA draft starts on an auspicious date in the player's home country, June 23, Jaanipäev, finishing the following morning Estonian time.
Veesaar played the past season with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and before that was with the Arizona Wildcats.
The last Estonian to have played in the NBA was Henri Drell, who got a few starts with the Chicago Bulls and chiefly played for their G-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. He then moved to the Rip City Remix, the G-League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, before returning to Europe last year.
Back in the 1990s, Martin Müürsepp played for the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks.
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Editor: Henrik Laever, Andrew Whyte