North Carolina entered the offseason prioritizing its frontcourt, and now the Tar Heels are searching for a starting center for next season.
Henri Veesaar declared for the NBA draft on Friday, and multiple reports say he plans to turn pro rather than return to college after the combine. There is still a slim chance he struggles and comes back to Chapel Hill, but UNC is preparing to be without him.
For now, head coach Michael Malone and general manager Jim Tanner must find another center, treating Veesaar as gone.
Here are some of the top centers still available in the portal according to 247Sports.
As a freshman at Arizona State, Diop averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.1 assists, and 29.6 minutes per game.
He was 169-for-297 (56.9%) from the field, including 8-for-26 (30.8%) from the perimeter. He shot 59.4% inside the arc.
EvanMiya grades: Overall A; Offense B+; Defense A+; Scoring Volume B+; Rebounding B; Playmaking D+; Court Impact C+.
As a sophomore at Georgetown, Halaifonua averaged 9.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 blocks in 19.8 minutes.
He shot 60.8% from the field (113-for-186), including 27.3% from 3-point range (6-for-22), and was 65.2% on 2-point attempts.
EvanMiya grades: Overall B+; Offense B+; Defense B+; Scoring Volume B+; Rebounding B; Playmaking B; Court Impact C-.
As a sophomore at Seattle, Maurer averaged 7.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, .9 blocks, 0.5 assists and 0.6 steals in 17.9 minutes.
He was 94-for-180 (52.2%) from the field, including 10-for-39 (25.6%) from the perimeter.
EvanMiya grades: Overall B; Offense C+; Defense B+; Scoring Volume B-; Rebounding A-; Playmaking C-; Court Impact A.
Averaged 7.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks. 1.3 assists and 0.2 steals in 23.8 minutes per game.
Went 101-for-198 (51.0%) from the field, including going 15-49 (30.6%) from beyond the arc
EvanMiya grades: Overall B; Offense B-; Defense B+; Scoring Volume C; Rebounding B; Playmaking C; Court Impact C.
In his sophomore season at Boston U., Hefty earned All-PAtriot League honors after averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 19.9 assists 1.7 blocks
EvanMiya grades: Overall B; Offense B; Defense B; Scoring Volume A-; Rebounding A-; Playmaking D+; Court Impact C+;
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Top five transfer center targets for the Tar Heels