As a senior at James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, Haywood won the Gatorade North Carolina Basketball Player of the Year. He was named to the 1997 McDonald\'s All-American Team.\n', '

After graduation, Haywood enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the 1997–98 season. Haywood was recruited by legendary Tar Heel basketball coach Dean Smith, but the coach retired shortly after Haywood\'s arrival on campus and turned the job over to his assistant, Bill Guthridge. Haywood backed up Makhtar N\'Diaye at the center position his freshman season, and was the most-used bench player after the six rotating starters (Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ademola Okulaja and N\'Diaye). That season, the Tar Heels advanced to the National Semifinals of the 1998 NCAA Men\'s Division I Basketball Tournament.\n', '

Haywood moved into the starting lineup during his sophomore season, and the Tar Heels earned a #3 seed in the 1999 NCAA tournament, but were eliminated in the first round. The Tar Heels struggled again during the 1999–2000 season, but experienced a resurgence during the 2000 NCAA tournament, reaching the Final Four. The 2000–01 season was Haywood\'s last at UNC, and the first for new head coach Matt Doherty. That season the Tar Heels earned a #2 seed in the 2001 NCAA tournament, but were eliminated in the second round.\n', '

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