Former Tar Heel Zayden High Finds New Destination

High departs from the Tar Heels after a tumultuous three years with the program. After appearing in 23 games, averaging 0.8 points per game as a freshman in the 2023-24 season, High was suspended for the entire 2024-25 season after violating UNC’s policy on sexual exploitation. 

High was removed from the team during that period, but was still allowed to use the facilities to work out and hone his skills. He returned to the team this past season and had his best collegiate season.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 29 appearances (2 starts). High was largely situational for most of the season, before being inserted into the rotation after Caleb Wilson suffered a wrist injury in early February. Wilson wouldn’t suit up again for the rest of the season, and High showed off his skills with the increased opportunity.

High Impressive in Wilson’s Absence 

High scored in double figures three times with Wilson out, and snagged double-digit rebounds twice. On Feb. 17 against NC State, High recorded his first-career double-double with a 13-point, 10-rebounding performance in an 82-58 blowout loss.  

High is one of several Tar Heels from last season who have opted to enter the transfer portal, largely due to the fact that former head coach Hubert Davis was fired after the Tar Heels lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to VCU. UNC would go on to hire Michael Malone as their next head coach, and so far, Luka Bogavac, Kyan Evans, James Brown, Jonathan Powell, Derek Dixon, and Isaiah Denis all entered the portal alongside High. 

The Tar Heels will now be tasked with finding a replacement for the once-promising big man. As a whole, the team will undergo a major makeover in the first offseason of Michael Malone’s tenure as head coach. With a lot of production leaving this offseason, they’ll need to buckle down and load up on high-impact talent to meet the expectations in year one.