Widely projected as a first-round selection, Veesaar, a rising senior at the University of North Carolina (UNC) and center for the Tar Heels, slipped out of the opening 30 selections and waited well into the second round before being selected 52nd by the Hawks.

The pick originally belonged to the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to Atlanta.

According to Yahoo Sports reporter Kevin O'Connor, Veesaar and his agent declined a two-way contract arrangement that would have included time in the NBA G League.

"The fall, and the Hawks trading up to get him, all point toward Veesaar targeting Atlanta as his destination and a strong possibility that he will sign a full NBA contract," O'Connor wrote.

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Veesaar is set to become just the third Estonian to play in the NBA, following Martin Müürsepp, the number 25 pick in the 1996 draft, and Henri Drell, who reached the NBA via the G League i 2024.

Hawks shaping up prospects

Atlanta will be led this season by center Onyeka Okongwu, who averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds last season while shooting 37.6 percent from 3-point range.

The Hawks also added guard Aaron Wiggins ahead of the draft, and feature a young core that includes Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and 2024 number 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher.

The Atlanta Hawks finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season before losing to the eventual champion New York Knicks in six games in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs.

Veesaar could make his first appearance in a Hawks uniform as soon as next month, with the NBA Summer League set to begin July 9.

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