On Friday, Henri Veesaar officially entered the NBA Draft, and though the door is slightly open for a return, that is highly unlikely. I want to thank the big man for his one season and for giving us his all and in return we gave him the chance to showcase his full skills and now pursue a dream of playing at the highest level of the sport. However, his departure does leave a hole at the 5-spot, a hole North Carolina needs to fill.
Now while I do believe that the Tar Heels will look to add to the roster with international players, there are still a few good big men transfers available. Below is a list of Bigs (guys who could play the four and five) still available in the portal. None of this is based on any inside intel, just guys that could still become part of the team down the road.
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Note: All players are listed in alphabetical order, class designation is what they will be next season
Seven Footers
Aaron Bradshaw (Sr, Memphis Tigers)
Bradshaw is a seven-footer who is looking to play for his fourth school in as many seasons. Starting at Kentucky, Bradshaw then transferred to Ohio State before playing for the Tigers this past season, where he had his best year starting 22 games and averaging 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Bradshaw also hit 9 of his 27 three-point attempts this past season.
Massamba Diop (So, Arizona State Sun Devils)
Diop is probably the best fit and available player on this list that is still in the portal. Like Veesaar, Diop played in the Big 12 this past season, starting all 33 games for the Sun Devils. The Freshman seven-footer, who has so far visited Gonzaga and St Johns, averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last year. He also hit 8 of his 26 three-point attempts and would still have three years of eligibility remaining.
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Julius Halaifonua (Jr, Georgetown Hoyas)
Halaifonua is a seven-foot rising Junior from New Zealand, who started 28 games in his second season with the Hoyas. Halaifonua averaged 9.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in less than 20 minutes per game last season. Like Veesaar, Halaifonua, who I currently like the most, may just need minutes to blossom (he also shot over 60% from the field last year) and UNC has those minutes to give.
Power Forward
Jordan Burks (Sr, UCF Knights)
Burks was a late addition to the portal which is why he has not yet been picked up despite averaging 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and making 60 of his 161 three-point attempts (37.3%) while starting all 33 games last season for the Knights. Like Bradshaw, Burks is looking for his fourth school in as many seasons.
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Allen Graves (So, Santa Clara Broncos)
Graves is a long shot prospect as the Freshman forward also entered his name in the NBA draft and is currently looking like a late first round pick and has also drawn interest from Duke and LSU. Despite only starting four games last season for the Broncos, Graves averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and hit 38 of his 92 three-point attempts (41.3%).
Ugnius Jarusevicius (Grad, Nebraska Cornhuskers)
Jarusevicius is probably one of the more interesting cases in the portal, as the super senior is looking for an extra year of eligibility after only playing in just eleven minutes in one game for the Cornhuskers last season before having his season end with an injury. In those 11 minutes, Jarusevicius, who is listed at 6’11 and would become eligible immediately if the 5 in 5 rule passes, scored 7 points, grabbed 2 rebounds and had 2 blocks while making all three of his shot attempts. There is a lot of potential there especially if he gets back to the levels he had at his one season at Central Michigan where he averaged 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds in 24 starts for the Chippewas.
Do any of these guys appeal to you? Let us know in the comments below.
