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How This Tar Heel Forward Fits into UNC's Rotation

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 at 12:59 GMT by Sports Illustrated
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UNC’s Fresh‑Face Rotation: Zayden High and Coach Hubert Davis Are Setting the Tone

The North Carolina Tar Heels are entering a season of transition, not only because of a new head coach but also because of the way that coach is putting together his rotation. In a feature published by Sports Illustrated’s “College” section, the story dives into how the team’s 2024‑25 roster is reshaping itself around the young forward Zayden High and the newly hired head coach Hubert Davis. By tracing the chain of links that the piece offers—his own biography, the player’s recruiting profile, and the Tar Heels’ full roster—the article paints a picture of a program in the middle of a rebuild, one that is looking for both stability and spark.

A New Head Coach: Hubert Davis

The article opens with an overview of the coaching shake‑up that has sent shockwaves through the North Carolina basketball community. After 25 years under Roy Williams, the Tar Heels hired former UNC star Hubert Davis as the program’s new head coach. The piece provides a link to Davis’s bio, which chronicles his decade‑long playing career at UNC, his brief NBA stints, and his coaching experience as an assistant at North Carolina and at Charlotte. Davis is stepping into a role that many see as a “continuity‑plus‑innovation” proposition. He keeps the classic Tar Heels mentality—high‑energy defense, disciplined offense—but has hinted at a more flexible, small‑ball lineup that can adapt to the pace of modern college basketball.

One of the first statements from Davis in the article is that the “focus is on making sure every player knows where they belong in the rotation.” He cites the importance of giving his freshmen, such as Zayden High, a role that lets them contribute early, while also maintaining the veteran leadership on the bench. The article quotes him saying, “We’re building a culture of depth. It’s not just the starters. It’s every guy that steps onto the floor.”

The Freshman Forward: Zayden High

Central to the story is Zayden High, a 6‑7‑foot forward from Charlotte, North Carolina. The article offers a link to his recruiting profile, which details his statistics from his junior year in high school: averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game, while also shooting 48% from the field. His versatility—ability to stretch the floor, guard multiple positions, and finish under the rim—makes him an attractive piece for Davis’s flexible system.

Davis describes High as a “two‑way impact player,” and the article notes that the coach plans to use him both as a starter and as a key reserve to keep his minutes in check. A quote from the 2024 recruiting class interview reveals that High was attracted to UNC because of the program’s history of developing versatile forwards, and he feels “ready to get into the mix.”

The article also references a separate link to UNC’s 2024‑25 roster, where High sits in the frontcourt lineup alongside the returning big men, including senior center James Smith and sophomore forward Tylor Parker. It mentions that High’s role will be to create spacing for the guards, allowing the Tar Heels’ perimeter shooters to operate more freely.

The Rotation in Action

Beyond High, the piece breaks down the entire rotation. It lists:

• Starting lineup: - Point guard: Brynn McAdoo (junior) – a defensive stalwart who can run the offense. - Shooting guard: Isaiah Clark (senior) – a three‑point threat who also plays a crucial role on defense. - Small forward: Zayden High (freshman) – the versatile forward the article focuses on. - Power forward: Tylor Parker (sophomore) – an athletic wing who can play in the post or on the perimeter. - Center: James Smith (senior) – a veteran who brings leadership and inside scoring.

• Bench depth: - Shooting guard/point guard combo: Ethan Hughes, a guard who can step into the ball‑handling role if McAdoo is tired. - Power forward: Noah Reed (sophomore) – a developing inside presence. - Center: Kevin Brown (freshman) – a shot‑blocking freshman who can provide energy in late‑game scenarios.

The article gives a clear picture of how Davis intends to utilize the bench. The coach emphasizes that rotation planning revolves around “player matchup and fatigue management.” A link to the Tar Heels’ practice footage reveals a game‑like setup where Davis has his forwards rotating every 30 seconds to keep the defense fresh and the offensive flow smooth.

Strategic Outlook

Strategically, the article highlights the Tar Heels’ pivot toward a “pace‑and‑pace” system. Davis’s first priority is to get the offense moving at a fast tempo, using High’s athleticism and shot‑blocking ability to transition from defense to offense. This approach is reinforced by the fact that the team is heavily shooting from beyond the arc—an area where the Tar Heels historically excelled.

The article also discusses the challenges the team faces. For instance, the injury history of the senior center and the limited playing time for some of the freshmen. The piece quotes an associate head coach saying, “The frontcourt will need to be healthy because we’re counting on that inside presence to anchor the defense.” Moreover, the article mentions that the team has a modest schedule opener against a mid‑level conference opponent but will soon face top‑ranked teams, a situation that will test the new rotation’s resilience.

A Culture of Growth

Beyond the on‑court mechanics, the article takes a moment to talk about the broader cultural shift. The Tar Heels are no longer a “legacy” program that relies on star power alone. Instead, Davis is championing a culture where “growth is measured by minutes earned, not by talent.” The article quotes a senior guard, Isaiah Clark, saying that the new coach’s “hand‑off style of leadership” encourages players to step up and earn their playing time.

The piece also includes a link to a motivational interview with the new coaching staff, where they talk about building “a winning culture” that can sustain itself over the long haul. According to Davis, the key is to blend tradition with innovation, creating a program that respects its history while evolving with the changing landscape of college basketball.

Conclusion

In sum, the Sports Illustrated article gives a comprehensive look at how UNC’s new coach, Hubert Davis, is assembling a rotation that balances veteran leadership and fresh talent. The focus on Zayden High underscores the team’s shift toward a versatile, defensive‑first style of play. With a strategic emphasis on pace, spacing, and depth, the Tar Heels are positioning themselves to compete at a high level while cultivating a culture that prizes development and resilience. As the season approaches, all eyes will be on whether this new rotation can deliver the win‑rich performance fans expect from a program with UNC’s storied legacy.