ATLANTA — Atlanta Hawks rookie Henri Veesaar is expected to miss the upcoming season due to a torn ACL, the team announced Monday. Veesaar initially suffered the injury during a workout on September 15, sustaining the setback ahead of training camp and before making his regular-season debut for Atlanta. The Hawks confirmed the diagnosis and the anticipated season-long absence in the Monday announcement.
Veesaar will undergo surgery in October to repair the ligament, according to the team. No additional recovery timetable was provided beyond the expectation that he will miss the upcoming season. The Los Angeles Clippers initially selected Veesaar with the 52nd pick in last year's draft before trading him to the Hawks, where he was set to begin his rookie campaign.
The injury rules Veesaar out for the entirety of the upcoming season and delays the start of his NBA career in Atlanta. Monday's statement outlined both the Sept. 15 workout as the point of injury and the October surgical plan. He will now turn his focus to the procedure and subsequent rehabilitation while Atlanta moves forward without the rookie.