Haywood Highsmith Bio
Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. (born December 9, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing roughly 220 pounds, he plays as a forward and has built his career through a combination of G League experience, overseas development, and a defining stint with the Miami Heat that included a run to the NBA Finals. Highsmith was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Archbishop Curley High School before starring at Wheeling Jesuit University, where he was recognized as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 2018. After going unselected in the 2018 NBA draft, he steadily climbed the professional ranks, eventually carving out a long-term NBA role through defensive versatility and steady rebounding.
Early Life and Background
Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. was born on December 9, 1996, in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a household with deep basketball roots, as his father, Haywood Highsmith Sr., played college basketball for the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons and was inducted into the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. That family connection to the game helped shape his early approach to the sport, with basketball becoming a central focus of his youth in Baltimore.
Highsmith attended Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, graduating in 2014, where he was classmates with NFL wide receiver Deonte Harty of the Baltimore Ravens. His high school coach, Brian Hubbard, told The Baltimore Sun that Highsmith drew little interest from NCAA Division I colleges during the recruiting process. Despite the limited college attention, Highsmith continued to develop his game, leaning on the physical and fundamental foundation he had built in Baltimore.
Path to Basketball
After high school, Highsmith committed to Wheeling Jesuit University, now known as Wheeling University, and played four seasons for the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals from 2014 to 2018. He became a starter for the team toward the end of his freshman season and quickly established himself as a productive frontcourt player in the Mountain East Conference (MEC). As a sophomore, he averaged 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in his first full year as a starter and was named first-team All-MEC.
Highsmith’s junior year saw him average 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds, earning second-team All-MEC honors. His senior campaign was a breakout, as he posted 22 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and was named first-team All-MEC, MEC Player of the Year, and the MVP of the MEC Conference tournament. Nationally, he was recognized as a first-team Division II All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and as the National Player of the Year by the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association. That senior season established him as one of the top small-college players in the country heading into the 2018 NBA draft.
Haywood Highsmith Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, Highsmith signed with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League through a local tryout and averaged 13.7 points in 21 appearances. On January 8, 2019, he was signed to a two-way contract by the Philadelphia 76ers, splitting time between Philadelphia and the Blue Coats. He made his NBA debut the same day, scoring three points in five minutes during a 132–115 win over the Washington Wizards, and finished his first professional season averaging 1.8 points and one rebound across five NBA games, with 12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals over 46 G League games. Philadelphia waived him on June 24, 2019.
Following the 2019 NBA Summer League, Highsmith agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Phoenix Suns that ultimately fell through, after which he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the 76ers and returned to the Blue Coats for the 2019–20 season. He averaged 10.8 points and 6.9 rebounds that year, including a 20-point, eight-rebound performance in a loss to the Maine Red Claws on December 31. In September 2020, he signed with the Crailsheim Merlins of the German Basketball Bundesliga, where he averaged 7.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game during the 2020–21 season, gaining valuable overseas experience.
Philadelphia 76ers and Delaware Blue Coats (2019–2022)
Highsmith’s time in Philadelphia and the Blue Coats was marked by repeated shuttling between the NBA and G League rosters. In 2021, he signed with Vanoli Cremona of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A but withdrew after receiving an Exhibit 10 offer from the 76ers. He rejoined the Blue Coats later that year and averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, then was reacquired by the Blue Coats on January 9, 2022, during another G League stint. Across his multiple Blue Coats seasons, Highsmith built a reputation as a reliable scoring forward and strong rebounder, which eventually led to a more permanent NBA opportunity.
Miami Heat (2021–2025)
On December 30, 2021, Highsmith signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat via the hardship exemption, marking his return to the NBA. On February 15, 2022, he signed a standard 10-day contract with the Heat, followed by a second 10-day deal ten days later, and then signed a three-year contract to remain with the franchise. On December 20, 2022, he scored a career-high 18 points, with two rebounds, two assists, and four steals, in a 113–103 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
During the 2022–23 season, Highsmith became a steady contributor on a Heat team that reached the NBA Finals. Miami qualified for the play-in tournament, defeated the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in five games, and later upset the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 5 of that series, he scored a then-playoff career-high 15 points, and in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, he matched his regular-season high of 18 points. The Heat lost the Finals in five games, but Highsmith’s role within the rotation had clearly grown. On July 8, 2024, he re-signed with the Heat, and during the 2024–25 season he made 74 appearances with 42 starts, averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
Brooklyn Nets (2025–Present)
On August 8, 2025, it was announced that Highsmith had suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee during a training session, and he was ruled out for 8-to-10 weeks after undergoing surgery. On August 15, 2025, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets alongside a 2032 second-round pick in exchange for a $5.6 million trade exception and a 2026 protected second-round pick. On October 19, 2025, the Nets announced that Highsmith would remain out for at least eight weeks after suffering a setback in his recovery from meniscal surgery.
Driving Style and Strengths
Highsmith has built his NBA reputation on defensive versatility, rebounding, and effort rather than offensive volume. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches and around 220 pounds, he has the size to defend multiple positions and the motor to crash the boards against larger frontcourts, which made him a valued connective piece in Miami’s rotation. His strengths on offense include finishing around the rim, opportunistic cutting, and an improving three-point shot that has allowed him to space the floor when paired with primary playmakers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highsmith’s most defining stretch came during the 2022–23 playoffs, when he helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals as the eighth seed, including a Game 1 performance of 18 points against the Denver Nuggets. His career-high 18 points, first reached against the Chicago Bulls in December 2022, also stands as one of his signature scoring nights. Across his professional career, he has been recognized as a two-time first-team All-MEC selection, the 2018 MEC Player of the Year, and the 2018 NCAA Division II Player of the Year.
Haywood Highsmith Career Wins
Highsmith’s most significant wins have come at the team level, particularly during his time with the Miami Heat. As a key rotation player on the 2022–23 Heat squad, he was part of one of the most surprising playoff runs in recent NBA history, including first-round and conference-finals upsets over the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, respectively. His individual accolades, including the 2018 NCAA Division II Player of the Year award, also stand as defining career achievements.
NBA and Heat Highlights
During the 2022–23 season, Highsmith played a supporting role in Miami’s run to the NBA Finals, including helping the Heat defeat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored a then-playoff career-high 15 points in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals and matched his regular-season high of 18 points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Across the 2024–25 regular season with Miami, he appeared in 74 games and started 42, continuing to provide depth on the wing and at the four.
Other Wins and Performances
At the collegiate level, Highsmith won the 2018 MEC tournament MVP, was named the MEC Player of the Year, and was a two-time first-team All-MEC selection. In the NBA G League, he posted multiple productive seasons with the Delaware Blue Coats, including averages of 13.7, 12.2, 10.8, and 14.0 points per game across his various stints, establishing himself as a reliable scorer and rebounder at that level.
Haywood Highsmith Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Highsmith’s father, Haywood Highsmith Sr., played college basketball for the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons and was inducted into the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. That family background helped lay the foundation for his own basketball journey, with both father and son eventually reaching the highest levels of their respective professional paths. The Baltimore native has frequently cited his upbringing and family as key influences on his work ethic and approach to the game.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Highsmith attended Archbishop Curley High School, where he was a classmate of NFL wide receiver Deonte Harty of the Baltimore Ravens. He has continued to be recognized as a proud product of the Baltimore basketball community, a background that has shaped his identity as a hard-nosed, defense-first forward throughout his professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Highsmith’s 2025 calendar year has been defined by a major team change and a significant injury. On August 8, 2025, he suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee during a training session and underwent surgery that was expected to sideline him for 8-to-10 weeks. One week later, on August 15, 2025, he was traded from the Miami Heat to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a deal that sent a 2032 second-round pick to Miami in exchange for a $5.6 million trade exception and a 2026 protected second-round pick.
Because of his recovery, Highsmith was unable to make his Brooklyn debut early in the 2025–26 season. On October 19, 2025, the Nets announced that he would remain out for at least eight more weeks after suffering a setback in his meniscal recovery, extending his absence deep into the regular season. Once he returns, the Nets are expected to use him as a versatile forward who can defend multiple positions, rebound at a high level, and provide wing depth behind their primary scorers.
Looking ahead, Highsmith’s primary objective in 2025 is completing his rehabilitation and returning to the floor for Brooklyn. If he can regain his 2024–25 form, when he averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 74 appearances for Miami, he is likely to earn a consistent role in the Nets’ rotation. His long-term outlook in Brooklyn will depend on how his knee responds once he is cleared and how quickly he re-establishes his rhythm after an extended layoff.