Chapel Hill, NC (May 2, 2025) — After sitting out the entire 2024‑25 season, former four‑star recruit Zayden High is expected to return to the North Carolina Tar Heels’ basketball roster for the 2025‑26 campaign, sources confirm .
High, a 6‑foot‑9 forward from Compass Prep, made 23 appearances as a freshman in 2023‑24, averaging 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.4 minutes per game . In August 2024, the program announced he was no longer enrolled at UNC following an off‑court incident, which led to his suspension for the fall semester .
The incident involved High filming a private encounter without consent. After an investigation, UNC’s Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office ruled he violated the university’s sexual misconduct policy. He was suspended but allowed to re‑enroll in classes in January and continue to work out at UNC’s Smith Center—though he remained barred from official team activities .
Despite restrictions, sources confirm High will now rejoin Coach Hubert Davis’s squad following the spring semester, adding valuable depth to a frontcourt reshaped by numerous transfers . The team has since added five transfer recruits: guards Kyan Evans, Jaydon Young, Jonathan Powell, and forwards Jarin Stevenson and Henri Veesaar .
Coach Davis and Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham have remained publicly reserved on the matter. UNC continues to face scrutiny over its handling of misconduct cases amid broader institutional transparency debates .
As the Tar Heels prepare for the upcoming season, High’s reinstatement marks a potential turning point. A high-motor big man with untapped potential, he brings size and energy that Coach Davis and fans alike hope will help propel North Carolina back toward ACC contention.