Hubert Davis and North Carolina have landed their second commitment in the Class of 2023 with their addition of Zayden High.
The 6-foot-9, 225 pound stretch four-man out of Spring Branch (Texas) chose the Tar Heels over his other finalists of Arkansas, Michigan, Texas, and Villanova.
In High, Davis is getting a four-star prospect who ranks No. 55 nationally in the 247Sports Top 150 Player Rankings.
High is a classic stretch-four who now has good positional size after continuing to grow throughout much of his high school career.
He is an intriguing prospect with some definite tools as he covers the court well and is quick to the ball as a rebounder. His combination of length and instincts make him a great deflection talent on the defensive end. He plays hard to break up passes and protect the rim with a sense of urgency.
High is not quite as athletic as he sometimes gets credit for but he is very light on his feet and is capable of making exciting bouncy plays above the rim when he's on the move and has momentum.
His primary value offensively in Chapel Hill will come through scoring with opportunity. In the half court, he will make more of an impact as a spot up option from behind the arc with a high and soft release that requires him to need very little separation. He is a solid though inconsistent shooter with range but is capable of gaining more consistency in his jumper with continued work.
The biggest knocks on High over the years have been his functional strength and mental mindset within the game. He plays upright offensively right now and can lose the line of his drive attacking against physicality. Additionally, his mindset affects his consistency and as he encounters adversity down the road it will be critical that he plays with the level of confidence and competitive edge that made him one of the spring's biggest stock risers.
High is not the type of player who is going to consistently create his offense off the dribble but he has great potential as a reliable floor spacer who can be very effective in pick-and-pop situations. At Compass Prep he's also started to show more comfort in the low post and more willingness to stick his nose into a scrum which is a very encouraging sign with his development.
If that potential is maximized, he should be able to bring shooting, defensive activity, and overall competitiveness to a winning culture and winning North Carolina program.