Atlanta Hawks rookie center Henri Veesaar will miss the entire 2026-27 NBA season after suffering a torn right anterior cruciate ligament during an on-court workout on Sept. 15.
Injury Timeline and Scheduled Surgery
Following an MRI and evaluation, medical staff diagnosed the 22-year-old rookie with the torn ACL. Veesaar is scheduled to undergo surgery in October with Dr. Kyle Hammond at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex in Atlanta. The timeline means the 7-foot center will spend his entire first professional season on the rehab sideline, aiming for a return ahead of the 2027-28 campaign.
Draft Background and Collegiate Career
The Hawks selected Veesaar as the 52nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Before reaching the professional ranks, the Estonian big man spent two college seasons at Arizona—playing through the 2022-23 and 2024-25 campaigns—before transferring to North Carolina for his final collegiate year. During his standout season with the Tar Heels, Veesaar earned second-team All-ACC honors. He averaged 17 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 42.6% from beyond the 3-point arc, earning status as one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the top center in college basketball.
Summer League Performance and Contract Status
Prior to the injury, Veesaar made a strong impression during his summer league stint in July. He logged eight appearances for Atlanta, averaging 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and one steal per contest while converting 37% of his 3-point attempts. He reached double figures in scoring three times, highlighted by a 20-point performance on July 13. Having signed a four-year rookie contract on July 2, Veesaar now faces an extensive recovery process.
Veesaar’s rehabilitation program will commence in October following his surgical procedure.
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