Overview
- ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo, in a Tuesday mock draft, projected the Lakers will take North Carolina center Henri Veesaar with the 25th pick.
- Veesaar is a 7-foot Estonian big who shot about 42% from three at UNC and earned second-team All-ACC after averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in 2025.
- Woo’s analysis frames center as Los Angeles’ clearest need and says Veesaar’s size and shooting could plug into the rotation and lift the team’s spacing.
- Deandre Ayton holds an $8 million player option for 2026–27, and that choice could determine whether a rookie center replaces him or helps behind him.
- The draft class is described as light on true centers, which raises the appeal of a stretch big for a Lakers roster balancing a playoff push with offseason planning.