NC State fans chant ‘No means no’ at UNC’s Zayden High, suspended for sexual exploitation in 2024

During a men’s basketball rivalry matchup between NC State and North Carolina in Raleigh on Tuesday, Wolfpack fans chanted “No means no” at UNC forward Zayden High, along with other chants that appeared to reference High’s removal from the Tar Heels’ roster last season amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

According to the Raleigh News & Observer, High was suspended by the university in 2024 for violating its policy on sexual exploitation. High’s suspension was reportedly for one semester, plus another semester of probation in which he was not allowed represent the school or participate in athletics in any way.

With North Carolina’s starting frontcourt of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar both unavailable for the game due to injuries, High — who started for the first time in his college career Saturday against Pittsburgh — started once again. He recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels before fouling out with 5:37 to play in an 82-55 Wolfpack win, NC State’s largest victory against North Carolina since 1962.

Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. faced similar chants during a game at Northwestern two seasons ago while facing charges of rape and sexual battery; he was ultimately found not guilty on those charges. Shannon was suspended for six games after initially being charged in December 2023, but he received a temporary restraining order that allowed him to return to the court for the rest of Illinois’ season. Shannon was selected 27th overall in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

High, a former four-star recruit, barely played as a freshman in 2023-24, averaging 4.5 minutes per game for a UNC team that won the ACC and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.