UNC basketball felt like ‘home.’ Zayden High adds to Tar Heels’ 2023 recruiting class
North Carolina received its second men’s basketball commitment from the 2023 class when 6-foot-9 forward Zayden High announced his decision to become a Tar Heel Sunday night on ESPN2.
High previously had taken official visits to Villanova and Michigan. Arkansas and Texas were also among his finalists. He initially did not plan on committing this early into the school year, but he said his visit to Carolina last month is what won him over.
“I just felt like it was home right when I stepped on campus for my official visit,” High said during the broadcast. “Coach (Hubert) Davis treated me and my family well. It was just a matter of time.”
Carolina found itself scrambling for a replacement for G.G. Jackson, the former No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023 who was initially committed to UNC. Jackson decided to reclassify to the Class of 2022 and the Camden, S.C., native instead enrolled at South Carolina.
High emerged early in the summer recruiting period as a target for Carolina, along with others like T.J. Power, who eventually committed to Duke. He fits the mold of what Davis has been emphasizing since taking over as head coach: High is a big man who can shoot.
High’s athleticism and agility is another reason why he made a big jump in the recruiting rankings over the summer. High is currently at No. 55 in 247Sports.com’s composite rankings for the 2023 class.
High is a native of Spring Branch, Texas, but he currently plays at Compass Prep in Phoenix. He will join 6-foot-4 combination guard Simeon Wilcher, from Roselle, N.J., in UNC’s 2023 class.
This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 6:10 AM with the headline "UNC basketball felt like ‘home.’ Zayden High adds to Tar Heels’ 2023 recruiting class."