Jaydon Young Addresses Role in Win Against Wake

Following the loss to the SMU Mustangs on Jan. 3, the North Carolina Tar Heels needed a statement win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday night.

North Carolina would scrape by with an 87-84 win over Wake Forest, but it featured nearly blowing a 15-point lead in the second half. Without that transpiring, there would have been a statement made, but there are still several questions surrounding this team.

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis speaks to the team during a time out against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

While the starters, outside of Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson, were pedestrian, Jaydon Young produced an inspiring performance, scoring 12 points while shooting 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, the junior guard discussed how it felt to play a role in the program's 500th win at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Young's Thoughts

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) battles for the ball against Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6), Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) and Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Nate Calmese (1) during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

"It feels great for sure, but I feel like basketball is basketball," Young said. "Got my rhythm, kind of all went away for a second, but just running out of the tunnel and then running back in at the end of the game, just knowing that everybody in the gym has 110% minutes."

As mentioned, the Tar Heels' backcourt production, other than Seth Trimble, has been underwhelming throughout the season. This has opened up opportunities for bench players to make an impact in extended minutes. Young did just that and explained his mindset when he was on the floor.

"Just help my brothers out, when they're not making shots, somebody has to and if I'm not making shots, I'm pretty sure they would do the same for me," Young said. "So, we got each other's back."

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) with the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Saturday night was a historical occasion in the program's history, and the 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard was asked about his first memory at the Dean E. Smith Center. Young told reporters that his experience with the program dates back to his early childhood.

"Earliest memory coming here, came to Late Night with Roy [Williams] probably like third grade," Young said. "My dad brought me here, but he made me sit up top and watching I said I was going to be a part of that one day. He said next time we come; it'll be because they're recruiting not because we're sitting all the way up top."

The Tar Heels have had several players produce breakout performances here and there, and Young has been the latest addition in that regard. Hopefully, he can establish himself as a consistent contributor moving forward.

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