It’s pretty hard to miss former UNC basketball player Tyler Zeller when he walks into a room.
Zeller, who helped the Tar Heels capture the 2009 NCAA Championship, stands at seven feet tall. He led the ACC in field goal percentage (.547) during his junior campaign in 2010-2011, then improved that percentage and his scoring output in senior year.
Zeller enjoyed a 10-year professional career – all in the NBA. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, with his best season coming during 2014-2015 with the Boston Celtics (career-best 10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds per game).
Now three seasons removed from pro ball, Zeller is sharing his passion of the game by coaching high school basketball.
His team? Northwood (N.C.) High School, the same school that boasts 2024, 5-start commit Drake Powell.
Zeller’s in his third year down in Pittsboro, helping as an assistant coach on Matthew Brown’s staff. The Chargers advanced to the NCHSAA 3A Regional Final in their first year with Zeller on staff, then lost to Central Cabarrus in the 3A State Championship Game last year.
According to Chapelboro, Zeller is now drawing up plays in the huddle. He’s hoping to help coach Northwood to its first state title in six tries.
Zeller also noted he could still play pro ball, but the constant traveling was getting to him.
“I’m trying to be home more and be with my family,” Zeller told Chapelboro. “I’ve got three little ones. I usually don’t go to the away games, so I don’t have to travel and get home really late. I can get them to bed, which I wasn’t able to do my last couple years playing.”
Zeller’s work with Powell, UNC’s highest-ranked commit in the 2024 cycle, has proved instrumental.
Since Zeller arrived in Pittsboro, Powell’s seen his scoring averages jump each year – 16.1 points per game in 2021-2022, 18.6 ppg last year and – through just seven games this season, 20 ppg.
“The Carolina coaches did a great job of recruiting him and convincing him to go to Carolina,” Zeller told Chapelboro. “I felt like my job was to coach him and prepare him for that, not influencing his decision to go where I wanted him to go. It was his decision, and I wanted to respect that. I love to coach. I love being around basketball. Having a role where I can be around the game, hopefully help kids grow and become better players, is definitely something I would be interested in.”
Powell will make the short trip up 15-501 to Chapel Hill next year. Will Zeller follow him?
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