University of North Carolina Athletics
2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Zayden High
- Height:
- 6-10
- Weight:
- 230
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- San Antonio, Texas
- High School:
- AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)
2025-26: Averaged 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 28 games • Scored 68 of his 118 points in the last nine games • Scored in double figures four times with a career-high 15 against Pitt and 13 in the next game at NC State (once in the first 24 games) • Was 24 for 44 from the floor (54.5%) and averaged 7.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in the last nine games • Made his first career starts vs. Pitt and NC State.
Scored four points and had four rebounds in seven first-half minutes vs. VCU • Career-best 8 for 8 from the free throw line, scored 12 points and was a game-high plus 13 vs. Virginia Tech • Career-high three assists and had six rebounds vs. Louisville • Career-high 11 rebounds at Syracuse • First career double-double with 13 points and a game-high/career-high 10 rebounds at NC State (led UNC in scoring and rebounding for the first time in both) • First career start vs. Pitt and set career highs in minutes (32), points (15), field goals (7) and rebounds (7) and tied his career-best with two assists • Was his second double-figure scoring game of his career and first in an ACC game • Made 7 of 11 shots from the floor (had made seven in the previous 17 games) • Five rebounds at Miami • Was 3 for 5 from the floor and scored six points at Cal • Ran the court for a catch-and-shoot layup that tied the game at 56 with 3:53 to play in the win at Kentucky • Made 5 of 6 free throws and scored 11 points vs. NC Central • Six rebounds in nine minutes vs. Radford • Career-best two assists and four rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Central Arkansas.
2023-24: Played in 23 games • Season-high four points vs. Florida State in the ACC quarterfinals • Regular-season-high three points at home vs. Clemson • Season-high 12 minutes vs. Lehigh and Oklahoma, 11 vs. UC Riverside and 10 vs. Charleston Southern • Grabbed three rebounds and was a plus 5 in 12 minutes vs. Oklahoma • First field goal vs. UC Riverside • Five rebounds and scored his first collegiate points against Lehigh.
PREP
Played his senior year of high school at Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., where he played for head coach Ed Gipson, and helped lead them to a 19-9 record • Compass advanced to the finals of the GEICO National Championships in Ft. Myers, Fla. • Most Valuable Player in the 2023 Hoop Hall Classic after Compass defeated Oak Hill Academy • Averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds over three seasons at Smithson Valley High School in Spring Beach, Texas • Averaged 21.0 points and 12.3 rebounds as a junior at Smithson Valley • Played for JL3 Elite in the Nike EYBL.
PERSONAL
Born Michael Zayden High on 3/26/2004, in Amarillo, Texas • Son of Mike and Tawney High • His sister, Zailey, is an elite-level high school volleyball player • Exercise and sport science major in the sport administration program.
CAREER HIGHS
Points: 15 vs. Pitt (2/14/26)
Field Goals: 7 vs. Pitt (2/14/26)
Three-Pointers: 1 vs. Kansas (11/7/25), at Syracuse (2/21/26), at Duke (3/7/26)
Free Throws: 8 vs. Virginia Tech (2/28/26)
Offensive Rebounds: 4 at NC State (2/17/26)
Rebounds: 11 at Syracuse (2/21/26)
Assists: 3 vs. Louisville (2/23/26)
Turnovers: 4 at NC State (2/17/26)
Blocks: 2 vs. NC Central (11/14/25), at NC State (2/17/26)
Steals: 2 vs. UC Riverside (11/17/23)
