How Jaydon Young's Hard Work is Paying Dividends

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been desperate for bench production for most of the season, and Jaydon Young's performance against Wake Forest this past Saturday was impressive. The junior guard totaled 12 points while shooting 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Young's Teammates on His Performance

Jan 10, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) goes to the basket 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

“He can shoot it,” Caleb Wilson said. “Whenever we’re playing against the scout team, he’s always [going to] make shots and really push us, so it’s nothing new, nothing I didn’t expect.”

"Obviously, Jaydon [Young] has been doing a great job in practice all year long," Veesaar said. "He's been on a scout team and doing an incredible job there. With the games lately, he's been doing a great job showing his defensive potential. He's made us a winning impact. His aggressiveness and defense, pick and rolls and being able to knock down the three. That's so valuable for everybody."

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

"I mean, [Jaydon] Young was incredible," Trimble said. "He stepped up when his name was called. He's been persevering all year, maybe not playing games, playing four minutes some games, but he knew that his opportunity was going to come. And, I mean, that was this right here was a product of the work that he's put in. He stepped up huge, and he made it happen."

North Carolina's main players knew what Young was capable of, and the 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard explained how he has been ready to make an impact for the Tar Heels.

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

“I knew my number would get called eventually, but just working through it, being able to keep my mind and everything clear, being positive for my teammates, supporting them,” Young said. “If that was my role tonight, I was completely fine.”

“I went through similar things at [Virginia] Tech of course, I didn’t play every single night,” Young said. “As college goes on, I guess you can get a little bit more sense of how to go about things. But I just stayed positive, clapped for my teammates, and of course, I came into practice every day with 100% confidence. Just do what I do, and then when they call my name, I’ll be ready.”

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

On Saturday, notable players, such as Trimble, was not on his game, struggling with turnovers and efficiency. Young explained how he wanted to step up and be there for his teammates.

“If they’re not making shots, somebody has to,” Young said. “And if I’m not making shots, I’m sure they would do the same thing for me, we have each other’s back.”

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