Last Updated on October 5, 2026 by Candida Lucia
Haywood Highsmith’s family has played an important role in his unconventional journey from Baltimore, Maryland, to the NBA. The Phoenix Suns forward is the son of Brenda Vines and former college basketball standout Haywood Highsmith Sr. He also has two publicly documented siblings, Jarrod Hawks and Shantell.
Highsmith has also created a family of his own. He is the father of a daughter named Hazel, whom he shares with his longtime partner Melissa. Becoming a father came at a crucial point in his professional career and influenced one of the biggest decisions he made while trying to return to the NBA. Here is what is publicly known about Haywood Highsmith’s girlfriend, daughter, parents and siblings.
Who Is Haywood Highsmith’s Girlfriend?
Haywood Highsmith has been publicly identified as being in a relationship with a woman named Melissa. The Miami Heat’s official media guide identifies her as his girlfriend and confirms that the couple has a daughter named Hazel.
Other reports identify Highsmith’s partner more fully as Melissa Diaz Carrasco, sometimes referred to as Mel Diaz Carrasco. She has generally maintained a much lower public profile than the NBA player.
The relationship was already serious by 2021, when Melissa was pregnant with their daughter while Highsmith was trying to decide between continuing his professional career in Europe and returning to the United States for another opportunity with the Philadelphia 76ers organization.
Highsmith ultimately chose to return to the United States, despite the financial uncertainty, partly because his daughter was about to be born.
More recent 2026 biographical reporting continues to identify Melissa as Highsmith’s partner. However, neither Highsmith nor an NBA team has publicly announced that the couple has married. She is therefore best described as his longtime girlfriend or partner rather than his wife.
Who Is Melissa Diaz Carrasco?
Melissa Diaz Carrasco has been described in public profiles as working in the mortgage industry, including as a mortgage loan originator.
She has also been associated with entrepreneurial activities and has occasionally appeared alongside Highsmith in family photographs.
Unlike Highsmith, Melissa is not a professional athlete or major public figure, so considerably less verified biographical information about her is available.
The most important officially documented detail is that she and Highsmith share their daughter, Hazel.
Does Haywood Highsmith Have Children?
Haywood Highsmith has one publicly documented child, a daughter named Hazel.
The Miami Heat’s official media guide confirms that Highsmith and his girlfriend Melissa have a daughter named Hazel, while Highsmith himself has spoken publicly about how becoming a father affected his professional decisions.
Hazel was born in October 2021.
Haywood Highsmith’s Daughter: Hazel
Hazel is Haywood Highsmith’s daughter and one of the most important people in his life.
Her birth came during a particularly uncertain stage of Highsmith’s basketball career. In 2021, Highsmith had accepted an opportunity to play overseas after failing to secure a stable NBA role.
He was in Europe when the Philadelphia 76ers organization offered him another chance to return to the United States on an Exhibit 10 contract.
The decision was difficult because his girlfriend was pregnant and Highsmith knew that remaining in Europe could provide greater financial security for his growing family.
However, he ultimately decided to bet on another NBA opportunity and return home.
That decision allowed him to be present when Hazel was born.
Highsmith later told the Miami Heat that the experience taught him an important lesson about fatherhood. He explained that his own father had been present for him while he was growing up and that he wanted to provide the same kind of support for his daughter.
How Fatherhood Changed Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith has described becoming a father as something that changed the priorities behind his basketball career.
Before Hazel’s birth, much of his professional journey centered on trying to prove that he belonged in the NBA. After becoming a father, his career also became about providing stability for his family while being physically present for his daughter.
The Miami Heat’s official media guide lists Hazel as Highsmith’s “most prized possession.”
It also reveals that one of his regular game-day rituals is making a FaceTime call to his daughter before games.
That routine demonstrates how closely fatherhood remains connected to his professional life even when NBA travel keeps him away from home.
Who Are Haywood Highsmith’s Parents?
Haywood Highsmith’s parents are Haywood Highsmith Sr. and Brenda Vines.
Both parents influenced his development, although in different ways. Highsmith has credited his mother with the sacrifices she made for the family and his father with introducing him to basketball and teaching him the game.
Haywood Highsmith’s Father: Haywood Highsmith Sr.
Haywood Highsmith Sr. is Haywood Highsmith’s father and was an accomplished basketball player himself.
Highsmith Sr. played college basketball at Fairmont State University in West Virginia from 1985 to 1989.
He developed into one of the most productive players in the program’s history.
According to Fairmont State Athletics, Highsmith Sr. finished his career with 1,639 points and 1,045 rebounds, making him one of the relatively few players in school history to record both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
He was especially dominant as a shot blocker, finishing his career with a school-record 439 blocks.
Highsmith Sr. earned Second-Team All-WVIAC honors in 1989 after receiving honorable mention recognition in both 1987 and 1988.
His accomplishments eventually earned him induction into the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
How Haywood Highsmith’s Father Introduced Him to Basketball
Basketball entered Haywood Jr.’s life almost immediately because of his father.
Wheeling University reported that Highsmith Sr. had played basketball throughout his own life and introduced his son to the sport when Haywood was approximately four years old.
Highsmith eventually began developing the same passion for basketball that had taken his father to the college level.
As Haywood’s skills developed, his father became a source of instruction and advice.
The Miami Heat later reported that Highsmith specifically credited his father for teaching him the game of basketball.
His father’s influence extended beyond technique. When Highsmith was preparing for the birth of his own daughter in 2021, he thought about the example his father had set by being present during his childhood.
Highsmith said that having a good father made him want to learn from that example and be there for his own child.
Haywood Highsmith’s Mother: Brenda Vines
Brenda Vines is Haywood Highsmith’s mother.
Compared with Highsmith Sr., considerably less information about Brenda’s personal or professional life has been published. She has remained largely outside the sports spotlight.
However, Highsmith has made clear that his mother played a fundamental role in his journey.
The Miami Heat’s official media guide states that Highsmith credits his parents with making a major difference in his life and specifically recognizes his mother for the sacrifices she made.
Those sacrifices helped Highsmith pursue basketball even though there was never a guarantee that the sport would become a professional career.
Unlike many future NBA players, Highsmith was not a nationally celebrated high school prospect and did not receive major NCAA Division I recruiting attention.
His family nevertheless continued supporting him as he followed a less conventional route through Division II college basketball.
Who Are Haywood Highsmith’s Siblings?
Haywood Highsmith has two publicly documented siblings: a brother named Jarrod Hawks and a sister named Shantell.
Highsmith’s original Wheeling University biography identified Jarrod Hawks as his brother, while the Miami Heat’s more detailed official media guide later listed both Jarrod and Shantell.
Neither sibling has pursued the same level of public career as Haywood, and consequently relatively little verified information about their personal or professional lives has been published.
Haywood Highsmith’s Brother: Jarrod Hawks
Jarrod Hawks is Haywood Highsmith’s brother.
The relationship is officially documented by Wheeling University, which listed Jarrod in Highsmith’s college basketball biography.
Jarrod has maintained a private life and has not been a regular subject of interviews concerning his brother’s NBA career.
Because there is limited authoritative information about him beyond the family relationship, claims about his career or personal life from unsupported biography websites should be treated carefully.
Haywood Highsmith’s Sister: Shantell
Shantell is Haywood Highsmith’s sister.
She is identified alongside Jarrod in the Miami Heat’s official media guide.
Like her brother Jarrod, Shantell has generally remained outside the public spotlight. Highsmith has not frequently discussed her personal life in basketball interviews.
The available information therefore reliably establishes her as his sister without providing enough authoritative evidence for a detailed personal biography.
Basketball Runs in the Highsmith Family
The connection between Haywood Highsmith and basketball stretches back at least two generations.
His father was an accomplished college player whose rebounding, scoring and shot-blocking earned him a place in the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Haywood Jr. ultimately followed a remarkably similar route through West Virginia college basketball.
Instead of attending Fairmont State, however, he joined nearby Wheeling Jesuit University, now known as Wheeling University.
The younger Highsmith eventually built an outstanding college career of his own, turning himself from a lightly recruited Baltimore prospect into one of NCAA Division II basketball’s best players.
Haywood Highsmith’s Childhood in Baltimore
Haywood Lee Highsmith Jr. was born on December 9, 1996, in Baltimore, Maryland.
He attended Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, where he developed into a productive basketball player.
During his high school career, Highsmith earned all-conference recognition and was named his team’s Most Valuable Player.
As a senior, he averaged approximately 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks per game.
Despite those impressive numbers, Highsmith attracted little attention from major Division I college basketball programs.
That lack of recruiting interest eventually sent him toward a route that would become one of the defining parts of his story.
Haywood Highsmith’s Career at Wheeling University
Highsmith enrolled at Wheeling Jesuit University in 2014 and gradually developed into one of the most accomplished basketball players in school history.
He averaged 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds as a freshman before becoming a full-time starter.
His production increased to 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore and 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds during his junior season.
Highsmith then produced a spectacular senior year in 2017-18.
He averaged approximately 22 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, earning Mountain East Conference Player of the Year honors.
Highsmith was also named the MEC Tournament MVP and received First-Team Division II All-American recognition.
His performances placed him firmly on the professional basketball radar despite playing outside NCAA Division I.
Haywood Highsmith’s Long Road to the NBA
Highsmith was not selected in the 2018 NBA Draft.
He began his professional career with the Delaware Blue Coats in the NBA G League and eventually earned a two-way opportunity with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Highsmith made his NBA debut in January 2019, but his place in the league was far from secure.
He moved between the G League, NBA opportunities and professional basketball overseas while trying to establish himself.
His career took him to Germany before another opportunity emerged in the United States.
Highsmith’s decision to return while his girlfriend was pregnant became one of the most important turning points in both his personal and professional life.
How Haywood Highsmith Established Himself With the Miami Heat
After several short-term opportunities, Highsmith began receiving NBA chances with the Miami Heat during the 2021-22 season.
Miami initially signed him through a series of 10-day contracts before eventually offering him a multiyear deal.
Highsmith gradually became an important defensive role player for the Heat.
His physical defense and willingness to guard several positions earned him the nickname “The Locksmith.”
He was part of the Miami team that reached the 2023 NBA Finals and continued expanding his role during the following seasons.
In July 2024, Miami re-signed Highsmith after he had produced career highs in several statistical categories.
Haywood Highsmith’s Journey to the Phoenix Suns
Highsmith’s long run in Miami ended in August 2025 when the Heat traded him to the Brooklyn Nets.
His time with Brooklyn was heavily affected by a knee injury, and the Nets eventually waived him in February 2026.
The Phoenix Suns subsequently signed Highsmith, allowing him to continue his NBA career after recovering from the injury.
Phoenix briefly waived him in August 2026 but quickly brought him back, with Highsmith agreeing to a new one-year deal several days later.
As of now, the NBA officially lists Highsmith as a Phoenix Suns forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Haywood Highsmith’s Family
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s girlfriend?
Haywood Highsmith has been publicly identified as being in a longtime relationship with Melissa, who is also known as Melissa Diaz Carrasco. The Miami Heat’s official media guide identifies Melissa as his girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.
Is Haywood Highsmith married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Haywood Highsmith is married. Official NBA material has described Melissa as his girlfriend rather than his wife.
Does Haywood Highsmith have children?
Yes. Haywood Highsmith has one publicly documented daughter named Hazel.
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s daughter?
Haywood Highsmith’s daughter is Hazel, who was born in October 2021. Highsmith has described fatherhood as an important influence on both his life and professional decisions.
Who are Haywood Highsmith’s parents?
Haywood Highsmith’s parents are Haywood Highsmith Sr. and Brenda Vines.
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s father?
Haywood Highsmith’s father is Haywood Highsmith Sr., a former Fairmont State University basketball player who was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Did Haywood Highsmith’s father play college basketball?
Yes. Haywood Highsmith Sr. played at Fairmont State from 1985 to 1989, finishing his career with 1,639 points, 1,045 rebounds and a school-record 439 blocked shots.
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s mother?
Haywood Highsmith’s mother is Brenda Vines. Highsmith has publicly credited his mother with making important sacrifices that helped him pursue his basketball career.
Does Haywood Highsmith have siblings?
Yes. Haywood Highsmith has two publicly documented siblings: his brother Jarrod Hawks and his sister Shantell.
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s brother?
Haywood Highsmith’s brother is Jarrod Hawks, who is identified in Highsmith’s official Wheeling University basketball biography.
Who is Haywood Highsmith’s sister?
Haywood Highsmith’s sister is Shantell. She is identified in the Miami Heat’s official media guide but otherwise maintains a private life.
Candida Lucia is a sports journalist and NBA writer specializing in tactical game analysis, player development, and league coverage. With an eye for on-court execution and team dynamics, she delivers detailed breakdowns of strategy, roster updates, and key performance trends. Passionate about bringing readers closer to the game, Candida offers engaging insights on every aspect of the NBA season, from regular-season battles to the Finals.
