Duke forward Isaiah Evans and North Carolina center Henri Veesaar, both projected first-round picks, fell out of the opening round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
Evans averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore starter for the Blue Devils. Veesaar posted career highs of 17.1 points and 8.7 rebounds while playing for the Tar Heels.
The pair bypassed large NIL opportunities to enter the draft early. Veesaar turned down an offer valued between $3.5 million and $4.5 million to return to North Carolina, with reports indicating he could have earned close to $5 million through the transfer portal.
Evans waited in the green room during the first round without hearing his name called. Sources close to Duke described his NIL package as comparable to Veesaar's but lower.
Both players are now expected to be selected early in the second round on Wednesday.
