The Baltimore native Haywood Highsmith is a professional basketball player currently signed with the Miami Heat of the NBA.
He signed with the Heat on February 15, 2022, on a 10-day contract. And after two 10-day contracts, Highsmith signed a standard deal with the Heat to remain in the team.
Highsmith began his career with the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League in 2018.
Since then, he has seen many ups and downs in his professional career.
The 2022-23 season seems to be going amazingly well for the forward, as he has appeared in every game for the Heat for the month of February.
Point guard Tyler Herro is doubtful because of his knee, so Haywood could see additional minutes off the bench.
Let’s explore more.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. |
| Known As | Haywood Highsmith |
| Nickname | Wood, H Squared |
| Birthdate | December 9, 1996 |
| Age | 28 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Current Residence | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Father’s Name | Haywood Highsmith Sr. |
| Mother’s Name | Brenda Highsmith |
| Siblings | Jarrod Hawks |
| Nationality | American |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Baby Momma | Mel Diaz Carrasco |
| Children | Daughter: Hazel |
| Built | Athletic |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Height | 6 ft. 5 in/1.96 m/196 cm |
| Weight | 220 lb/100 kg |
| Ethnicity | Afro-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Education | Archbishop Curley High School, Wheeling University |
| NBA Draft | 2018 Undrafted |
| Awards & Achievements | First-team Division II All-American – NABC (2018) |
| Playing Career | 2018-Present |
| Association | Delaware Blue Coats (2018-2019)
Philadelphia 76ers (2019) Crailsheim Merlins (2020-2021) Miami Heat (2021-Present) |
| Position | Power Forward/Small Forward |
| Shirt Number | 24 |
| Salary | $1.31 Million |
| Net Worth | $1 Million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | March 2025 |
Early Life & Education
Power forward for the Miami Heat of the NBA, Haywood Highsmith was born Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. on December 9, 1996, in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
Not much is known about Highsmith’s parents or siblings except for their names. Highsmith was born to Haywood Highsmith Sr. and Brenda Highsmith and grew up with his brother Jarrod Hawks.
Highsmith graduated from Archbishop Curley High School in his native Baltimore, Maryland, in 2014.
Following his high school graduation, he went to Wheeling University in West Virginia.
He played four years of collegiate basketball for the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals starting from 2014 to 2018.
Haywood became a starter for the Cardinals toward the end of his freshman season.
As a sophomore, his average was 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
The 1.96 meters forward declared for the 2018 NBA Draft after four seasons of college basketball.
Career
Haywood Highsmith went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, so he signed with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League.
He signed a two-way deal with the 76ers on January 2019, and as per the terms of the deal, he split time between the Blue Coats and the 76ers.
His NBA debut came in a 132-115 win over the Wizards scoring three points in five minutes of gameplay.
Nevertheless, his terms with the team came to an end on June 24, 2019, as the 76ers waived Highsmith. He returned to the team after his Exhibit 10 deal with the Suns fell through.
Aside from the NBA, Highsmith has also played in several international teams, including the Crailsheim Merlins of the Basketball Bundesliga.
Similarly, he signed with the Vanoli Cremona of the Italian Lega Basket Series A on July 27, 2021.
However, as of 2023, he is back with the NBA and is currently inked with the Miami Heat.
Career Highlights
Even though Highsmith has bumped into a bunch of different teams, he has made a name for himself in professional basketball with several prestigious awards and achievements.
A few of them are included below:
- MEC tournament MVP (2018)
- First-team Division II All-American – NABC (2018)
- 2× First-team All-MEC (2016, 2018)
- MEC Player of the Year (2018)
Net Worth & Contracts
Net Worth
As of March 2025, the Heat forward Haywood Highsmith has a net worth of $1 million.
Haywood is one of the most hardworking players in the league and has earned millions from NBA salaries alone. However, his salary from his professional career is not the only source of his income.
We all know NBA stars earn well from their shoe deals, and Haywood is no exception.
Nevertheless, none of these deals have been made public. According to some sources, he wears Nike Kobe 6 Protro shoes, so he might be in a multi-million dollars deal with the brand.
If we were to talk about his earnings just from NBA, excluding all his other income sources, then the forward has made $2,300,339 so far.
And by the end of his ongoing deal with the Heat concludes, he would have made $4.20 million.
Contracts
Aformentioned, Haywood signed a three-year/$3.94 million contract with the Heat on February 2022.
This contract includes $2.04 million guaranteed and an average annual salary of $1.31 million.
Talking about his previous contracts, he signed a $1.44 million deal with the 76ers in 2019 using Exhibit 10.
Similarly, in 2021, he signed another Exhibit 10 contract with the 76ers worth $1.48 million.
Relationship, Kids & Social Media
The Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith is not married but is in a relationship with his longtime girlfriend and baby momma, Mel Diaz Carrasco.
Reportedly, Mel is a businesswoman and a mortgage loan broker. She also runs her own clothing brand business.
The two seem to be head over heels for each other and are not hesitant to show off their love and romance in public.
They share a daughter together named Hazel, who was born on October 2021.
Mel and Haywood often post their family picture on their social media handles, where both have a considerable following.
And if you check Mel’s Instagram, you will notice another boy in most of her family pictures.
Even though she has not shared too much about him, it seems like the boy in the pictures is her son from a former relationship or could be her brother.
However, with no credible sources supporting this information, please take it with a pinch of salt.
Social Media
Haywood Highsmith is active on Instagram and Twitter. He has over 22.4k followers on Gram and over 2.1k followers on Twitter.
On Instagram, he basically shares about his professional career updates, personal updates, and pictures of his super-hot girlfriend, Mel Diaz Carrasco.
Unknown Facts About Haywood Highsmith
- As a senior at Wheeling University, Highsmith was named MEC Player of the Year, first-team All-MEC and MVP of the MEC Conference tournament.
- Highsmith was signed on a 10-day deal with the Heat on December 20, 2021, via the hardship exemption but was reacquired by the Blue Coats on January 2022.
- Haywood and Mel run an H7H clothing brand and often promote it on Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
When was Haywood Highsmith drafted?
Haywood Highsmith was not drafted in the 2018 NBA Draft and signed Miami Heat as an undrafted free agent.
Is Haywood married?
No, the Heat forward is not married yet but is in a longterm relationship with Mel Diaz Carrasco and also share a daughter named Hazel with her.
