Report: Zayden High's removal from North Carolina basketball team due to violating sexual exploitation policy

Former North Carolina basketball player Zayden High was suspended and ultimately dismissed from the school in late August 2024 after it was determined he violated a campus policy against sexual exploitation, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.

High was formally dismissed Aug. 27, 2024, ahead of what was going to be his sophomore season in Chapel Hill, after the university found he filmed another student during a sexual encounter without that student’s consent, according to documents and interviews reviewed by the News & Observer.

The student victim told The N&O she felt “validated” and “relieved” when UNC’s Equal Opportunity and Compliance office found High responsible for violating the university policy against sexual misconduct last August.

“Not that it made my pain from what happened go away, but it did make me feel like he was being held accountable,” the victim told The N&O.

The victim spoke to The News & Observer after they expressed concerns the university had “not ensured that High adequately followed the sanctions imposed upon him,” The N&O reported Thursday.

Student victim frustrated with Zayden High’s alleged continued involvement with UNC athletics

As part of his punishment, High served a one-semester suspension from the school last Fall before re-enrolling on a propationary status through the Spring semester. But, despite being “barred from representing the university in any way, including by participating in athletics, while on probation” per The N&O’s review of the terms of his EOC sanctions, High has allegedly still had access to North Carolina athletic facilities. High’s access has allowed him to practice on his own and receive athletic meals and other services, according to university correspondence reviewed by The N&O.

Adding to the victim’s concern, InsideCarolina reported Wednesday that the 6-foot-9, 225-pound High is expected to return to the Tar Heels basketball team ahead of the 2025-26 season.

“It’s extremely frustrating, to say the least,” the student victim told The N&O.

The student victim didn’t press criminal charges against High, opting to instead to report the incident to the school’s EOC office to maintain her privacy.

High appeared in 23 games as a true freshman, playing for 102 minutes during the in 2023-24 season. A total of 18 points were scored, coming out at an average of 0.8 per game.

High was a four-star recruit out of Spring Branch (TX) Compass Prep, where he was the No. 63 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

— On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.