Two Tar Heels first round NBA Draft picks in USAT Sports' latest mock

[ASFN Admin]

The NBA Draft officially kicks off on Tuesday night, with plenty professional basketball hopefuls eager to hear their names called.

This 2026 Draft Class has the potential to be an all-timer, with extensive debate who should go where in the Top Five. Star UNC freshman Caleb Wilson is one of those five in question, while 2025-26 frontcourt mate Henri Veesaar is also a projected first-rounder.

In USA TODAY Sports' NBA Mock Draft 17.0, Wilson goes fourth overall to the Chicago Bulls, while Veesaar is projected 29th overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Here's what USA TODAY Sports is saying about Wilson:

North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson is not just a consolation prize," Bryan Kalbrosky writes. "He is a perfect fit for what Graham wants to build in Chicago, as he values size, length, athleticism, and physicality. Wilson did more than enough to earn this placement before his injury."

Wilson took the college basketball world by storm, turning heads with his highlight-reel dunks and infectious energy. When Wilson sprained his wrist in a loss at Miami (FL), he instantly became North Carolina's greatest cheerleader. Wilson targeted a return at Duke, but a practice injury ended his collegiate career for good with averages of 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.

Here's what USA TODAY Sports says about Veesaar:

"We have seen a remarkable improvement from Henri Veesaar after transferring from Arizona to North Carolina," Kalbrosky says. "The 7-foot big man from Estonia has an excellent shot diet on offense. The All-ACC big man is scoring efficiently at the rim (especially when cutting or rolling) and on 3-pointers, while also holding his own as a rebounder and passer. Any team looking for a big man who can provide NBA minutes will have him high on their priority list."

Veesaar missed a couple games with injury, too, but he proved to be the Tar Heels' X-factor with abilities to stretch the floor, pull down rebounds, step up in Wilson's absence and bring that competitive fire. Veesaar averaged 17 points and 87. rebounds per game during his lone year at UNC.

Where will Wilson and Veesaar land? Tune in at 8 p.m. on Tuesday for the First Round, then Wednesday at the same time for Second Round Draft action.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar mocked NBA first-rounders

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