- Haywood Highsmith
Position: Forward
- HT/WT: 6'7, 220 lbs
- Birthdate: 12/9/1996 (25)
- College: Wheeling Jesuit
- Draft Info: Undrafted 2018
- Experience: Rookie
Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. was born December 9, 1996, is an professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Baltimore. He played college basketball at Wheeling Jesuit University and won the NCAA Division II Player of the Year as a senior in 2018.
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Haywood Highsmith Early life and college career
After being unselected in the NBA Draft 2018, Highsmith started his professional basketball career with the Delaware Blue Jackets of the NBA G League in 2018. At the end of the 2018-19 season, Highsmith made his NBA debut for the Sixers with the Blue Jackets’ home team, Philadelphia. In later years, Highsmith played for the Blue Coat, Crailsheim Merlin in the Bundesliga, and the Miami Heat in the NBA.
In 2014, He is originally from Baltimore, Highsmith graduated from Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore. Highsmith’s high school coach Brian Hubbard told the Baltimore Sun that Highsmith had little interest in NCAA Division I colleges.
After his high school, Highsmith attended Wheeling Jesuit University (now Wheeling University) and played for the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals for four seasons from 2014 to 2018. He became the team’s starter at the end of his freshman season. He averaged 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game throughout his full year as a starter and was named to the Eastern All-Mountain Conference (MEC) first team during his sophomore. During his junior season, Highsmith averaged 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. As a senior, Highsmith averaged 22 points and 12.6 rebounds and was named MEC All-NBA First Team, MEC Player of the Year, and MEC Conference Tournament MVP. Nationally, he was named to the National Division II First Team by the National Basketball Coaches Association and was named National Player of the Year by the Division II League Committee Commissioners Association.
Professional career
2018–2019 season
After being undrafted in the NBA Draft 2018, Highsmith signed with the Delaware Blue Jackets of the NBA G League through a local selection. He averaged 13.7 points in 21 games.
He signed a two way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on January 8, 2019. Under the terms of the trade, he splits his time between the Sixers and the Blue Coats. He made his NBA debut the same day, scoring 3 points in 5 minutes in a 132-115 win over the Washington Wizards, after he also represented the Blue Jackets earlier in the day Played in a Raptors 905 game. He finished his first professional season, averaging 1.8 points and 1 rebound in 5 NBA games, 12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 46 G League games (42 starts) 1.2 steals.
On June 24, 2019, the Sixers waived Highsmith.
2019–20 season
After a failed Exhibit 10 trade with the Phoenix Suns,[10] Highsmith returned to the Sixers to sign an Exhibit 10 contract.
Highsmith rejoined the Blue Coats for the 2019-20 season. On December 31, Highsmith had 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in a loss to the Maine Red Claws. He averaged 6.9 rebounds and 10.8 points per game.
2020–2021 season
On September 4, 2020, Highsmith signed with Crailsheim Merlin of the Basketball Bundesliga.
2021–2022 season
Highsmith signed with Vanoli Cremona of Serie A (LBA) with an NBA exit option on July 27, 2021. With the Philadelphia 76ers receiving an Exhibit 10 offer, he decided to quit Cremona and return to the United States. Highsmith signed and was waived by the 76ers on September 30.
in 2021, Highsmith rejoins the Blue Coat. He averaged 14.0 points, 1.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.
He signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat through a hardship waiver on December 30, 2021.
On January 9, 2022, Highsmith was re-acquired by Delaware Blue Coat.
Highsmith signed a standard 10 day contract with the Miami Heat on February 15, 2022. Ten days later, he signed a second ten-day contract. After the second 10-day contract expired, Highsmith signed a standard contract to stay with the Heat.