Report: Highly touted Estonian big man Henri Veesaar commits to Arizona Wildcats

Eurohopes reported Veesaar committed to UA on Friday, citing sources. Arizona has not announced his signing but the spring signing period for letters-of-intent has ended, meaning Veesaar can either sign non-binding scholarship papers or just enroll sometime this summer.

If the Wildcats do wind up adding Veesaar, they will get a versatile big man who can either start at center in place of the departed Christian Koloko, or play a key reserve role at both power forward and center, if Oumar Ballo becomes the Wildcats’ starting center alongside returning starter Azuolas Tubelis.

The Wildcats, who now have eight international players on their tentative 10-man roster for 2022-23, also have Gilbert freshman Dylan Anderson to work into their post mix next season.

According to analysts following European youth basketball, the 200-pound Veesaar has significant potential.

The NBA Draft Junkies website projected Veesaar would become the first Estonian in the NBA in over 25 years, while ID Prospects rated Veesaar the No. 6 prospect born in 2004. ID Prospects graded him highly as a spot-up shooter who can finish and defend well inside.

Playing in 2021-22 for Real Madrid’s top junior club, Veesaar averaged 10.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 67.3% from two-point range and 35.2% from 3. He scored 18 points in Real Madrid’s 86-81 loss to Juventut Badalona in the Spanish U19 championship final.

Over four games in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament, Veesaar averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 56.3% from two and 33.3% from 3.

In August 2021, Veesaar averaged 16.2 points and 11.6 rebounds in the U18 Euro Challengers event, though he shot only 27.8% from 3-point range.

“The future of Estonia basketball is Henri Veesaar,” wrote Rafael Barlowe of NBA Draft Junkies. “At the very minimum, Veesaar projects to be a pick-and-pop (center) in the NBA.

“Although I believe his main skill set will be as a floor spacer, Veesar can also get buckets around the rim. He’s an intuitive cutter that finds gaps in defenses, with a solid post game that should develop nicely once he gets stronger and is able to establish good low post position. He also has the athleticism to serve as a vertical lob threat and make plays above the rim.

“But what I really love most about his game is he’s tough, he plays with passion and finishing strong with authority around the rim.”

Veesaar could become the third member of the coach Tommy Lloyd’s 2022 Arizona recruiting class, joining Anderson and 6-8 Serbian wing Filip Borovicanin, who committed to the Wildcats last month.

Among others, Arizona has been continuing to pursue forwards Efe Abogidi of Washington State and Leonard Miller of Ontario, Canada.

Abogidi, an honorable mention all-defensive Pac-12 pick last season, is also considering Florida, Maryland and a return to WSU. Miller has been considering the G League Ignite, Kentucky and is testing the NBA Draft.

While the Wildcats have 10 players on paper as of now for 2022-23, that includes guard Dalen Terry, who has been testing the NBA Draft. Terry is projected as a second-round pick who could slip into the first round because of his potential and, according to CBB Central, Terry indicated during his NBA Draft Combine media interviews Thursday that he would stay in the draft if he is assured of being a first-rounder.

“If I can sneak in there and be a sleeper, be a first-rounder, that’s what I’ll do,” Terry said, according to a Tweet from CBB Central’s Kevin Sweeney. “But if not, I’m going to go back to Tommy. We’re going to have a big smile and have a better year.”

The Wildcats have three scholarship spots open as of now but are expected to leave at least one of them open, in part because of potential NCAA sanctions from the school’s still-pending infractions case.