Heel Tough Blog: UNC Interested in Multiple Overseas Big Men

After Henri Veesaar opted to enter the NBA Draft, with the intention to turn pro, Michael Malone and his staff had to pivot to find a suitable replacement for the big man from Estonia. With many of the best transfers already gone, Malone and his staff have opted to look internationally to find a replacement for Veesaar, according to Inside Carolina. Per IC, UNC has contacted two overseas players from the same club, Sayon Keita and Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, both of whom currently play for FC Barcelona. 

Keita is a 7-0, 215-pound center who has visited Chapel Hill before, back in 2025, when he visited the likes of not only Carolina, but Duke, UConn, Indiana, and Kentucky. Keita averaged 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds

As for Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, he is a 7-0, 230-pound center who is ranked as the No. 118 overall player, and the No. 17 center in the 2027 recruiting class. He played in 25 games for the U22 team, and he averaged 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, while shooting 60% from inside the arc, and 32% from behind the three-point line. 

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