By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — When Jarin Stevenson made his college decision two years ago, it came with the kind of weight only felt by someone born into the fabric of Carolina basketball.
His mother, Nicole Walker Stevenson, wore the Carolina blue in the 1990s under Coach Sylvia Hatchell. His father, Jarod Stevenson, is a North Carolina native who starred at Richmond before a long professional career overseas.
And yet, when it was his turn, the kid who played at Seaforth High School outside Pittsboro didn’t stay home.
After reclassifying to join the 2023 recruiting class, Stevenson chose Alabama, a program on the rise under Nate Oats, because he wanted a challenge.
“They had a lot of stacked talent when I was first coming in,” Stevenson said. “A big thing with me, I wanted an experience, get playing time again, make the NBA and show what I can do.”
In two seasons, Stevenson appeared in 74 games for the Crimson Tide, scoring nearly 400 points and playing in nine NCAA tournament games, including a Final Four appearance. But when his sophomore season ended, his next move felt different.
When he entered the transfer portal, UNC coach Hubert Davis, who had known Stevenson since he was a ninth-grader, quickly contacted him.
“It’s definitely a good feeling,” Stevenson said. “And I could definitely feel it in my body.”
At what point did he know that he was coming to Carolina?
“When he started talking to me,” he said with a laugh.
Coming home wasn’t just a basketball decision. It was a personal one that meant fewer long trips to see him play for his family.
“They’re very excited,” Stevenson said. “My friends from back in high school, they’re excited I’m coming back. They said they’re gonna make a lot of the games. I’m excited for that. They’re excited. My parents are happy they can come to a lot of the games now.”
The familiarity runs deep. Davis has known the Stevenson family for years.
“We’ve known each other for quite a while,” Stevenson said. “We’ve been able to meet and learn about each other a lot. Coach Davis, he’s a great guy. He’s great coach, great leader. I’ve learned a few things from him, basketball-wise and just like, personality-wise and just being a great, you know, young man.”
That trust mattered.
“I feel like my goals align with their goals, and feel like I can help this team,” Stevenson said.
Davis has a clear vision for his new forward. Every day in practice, Stevenson works through what he calls a checklist. That calls for Steven, at least once in practice, to hit a 3-pointer, a pull-up jumper, drive to the basket, and get an offensive rebound, among other items on the list.
“He holds players accountable,” said Stevenson, lamenting that he’s only checked every box once or twice in practice, saying that it’s tough. “So, I get used to that, and used to doing it in the game, and really showcase my skills.”
That accountability is part of Davis’s broader effort to push Stevenson’s potential, both physically and mentally.
Stevenson admits that he has a calm, laid-back personality off the court, but that Davis has challenged him to change that demeanor during games.
“They always try to push me out of that shell and make sure I’m aggressive, consistently going out there,” he said. “They always, you know, boost confidence, put confidence in me and trust my abilities.”
For Stevenson, that means learning to turn feedback into fire.
“Yeah, especially after plays, they feel like I could have done [something more, they] let me know,” he said. “That type of feedback is good for me. And I’m just learning different ways I can be aggressive and help teammates out, or just go in, get a bucket.”
At 6–10, 215 pounds, Stevenson’s versatility is his trademark. He can stretch the floor, guard multiple positions, and fit as either a forward or a wing.
“I see myself as a three and a four and just making an impact, rebounding, like a Swiss Army knife,” he said. “I feel like it’s doing a lot of different things on the court, whether it’s rebounding, knocking down the three ball, or driving, playing defense on different positions.”
That’s the version of Stevenson Carolina hopes to unlock: A player with the freedom to show everything he can do. That may not have been the case at Alabama, where the offense was all about either generating 3-pointers or layups.
“Here, I can showcase a little bit more,” Stevenson said. “I feel like Hubert puts players in a good position to showcase their talents. He has me again at the three, where I can do different things on the perimeter and stuff, or even at the four, I can pick-and-pop or pick-and-roll, get the ball, post up, and do different things on the court.”
He hopes to find the consistency that was difficult at Alabama last season.
“Some games I would do very good,” he said. “Some games I wouldn’t produce as much.”
The experiences in Tuscaloosa shaped him. He learned from veterans who showed him how to play, lead, and work. He singled out Grant Nelson and Mark Sears.
“[Nelson] taught me a lot about coming from the help side and blocking shots,” Stevenson said, adding that Sears was a great leader who taught him the nuances of a pick-and-roll and how to get the ball in spots to score.
Stevenson brings that knowledge into a UNC frontcourt that emphasizes physicality, which wasn’t a big part of his game at Alabama, where he only attempted 107 free throws in two seasons.
He said that Davis emphasizes scoring inside.
“That’s one of his main pillars for offense,” Stevenson said. “So, he’s been pushing me and the team to get to the line, be aggressive, be more physical. I’ve been in the weight room with [strength coach] Jonas [Sahratian], getting stronger there. He’s really pushed me to get stronger.”
When Stevenson played at the Smith Center last season as Alabama rolled to a 94–79 ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge victory, it was a homecoming of a different sort.
“It was a surreal feeling,” he said. “My high school buddies being there, and a lot of familiar faces. I’ve watched a lot of games here too, so just playing in this arena is a crazy feeling.”
Now he’ll call that same arena home as he anticipates many more games there for the No. 25 Tar Heels.
“I see a lot of potential in our team,” Stevenson said. “I think we’re doing very good in practice. We have a lot of high-character guys. I feel like we have great team chemistry, too. I expect a lot out of this team, and I feel like we can make it very far and make a deep run.”
Coming full circle, the area kid who once turned down Carolina now gets to live out the dream he grew up watching from the stands.
“Yeah,” he said, “just being back is weird, and it’s cool.”
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Freshman | Caleb Wilson (5 star) | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| 5 | Freshman | Isaiah Denis (4 star) | CG | 6–4 | 180 |
| 3 | Freshman | Derek Dixon (4 star) | CG | 6–5 | 200 |
| 40 | Sophomore | Ivan Matlekovic | 5 | 7–0 | 255 |
| 11 | Sophomore | Jonathan Powell | G | 6–6 | 190 |
| 2 | Sophomore | James Brown | 5 | 6–10 | 240 |
| 1 | Sophomore | Zayden High | 4 | 6–10 | 230 |
| 44 | Junior | Luca Bogavac (BO-guh-VAHTS) | W | 6–6 | 215 |
| 4 | Junior | Jaydon Young | 2 | 6–4 | 200 |
| 13 | RS junior | Henri Veesaar (VEH-sar) | 5 | 7–0 | 225 |
| 0 | Junior | Kyan Evans | 1 | 6–2 | 175 |
| 15 | Junior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| 7 | Senior | Seth Trimble | 2 | 6–3 | 200 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Sophomore | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Junior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
| 6 | RS senior | Elijah Davis | 2 | 6–3 | 205 |
Former UNC players who transferred
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Cadeau | Junior | PG | 6–1 | 180 | Michigan |
| Jalen Washington | Senior | C | 6–10 | 235 | Vanderbilt |
| Ian Jackson | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 190 | St. John’s |
| Cade Tyson | Senior | F | 6–7 | 200 | Minnesota |
| Ven-Allen Lubin | Senior | C | 6–8 | 230 | N.C. State |
| Date | Month/day | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. No. 11 BYU in SLC | Exhib. |
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 95–53 | vs. Winston-Salem St. | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 94–54 | vs. Central Arkansas | 1–0 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 87–74 | vs. Kansas | 2–0 |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 89–74 | vs. Radford | 3–0 |
| 14 | Friday | W, 97–53 | vs. N.C. Central | 4–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 73–61 | vs. Navy | 5–0 |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off | ||||
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 85–70 | vs. St. Bonaventure | 6–0 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 74–58 | vs. No. 12 Michigan State | 6–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | |||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 67–64 | at Kentucky | 7–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 81–61 | vs. Georgetown | 8–1 |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 80–62 | vs. USC Upstate | 9–1 |
| 16 | Tuesday | W, 77–58 | vs. ETSU | 10–1 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | W, 71–70 | vs. Ohio State | 11–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | W, 99–51 | vs. East Carolina | 12–1 |
| 30 | Tuesday | W, 79–66 | vs. Florida State | 13–1, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | L, 97–83 | at SMU | 13–2, 1–1 |
| 10 | Saturday | W, 87–84 | vs. Wake Forest | 14–2, 2–1 |
| 14 | Wednesday | 9 p.m. | at Stanford | ACCN |
| 17 | Saturday | 4 p.m. | at California | ACCN |
| 21 | Wednesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Notre Dame | ESPN2 |
| 24 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | at No. 16 Virginia | ESPN |
| 31 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | ESPN |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | vs. No. 6 Duke | ESPN |
| 10 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at Miami | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 14 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | vs. Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 17 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 21 | Saturday | 1 p.m. | at Syracuse | ABC |
| 23 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 20 Louisville | ESPN |
| 28 | Saturday | 6:30 or 8:30 | vs. Virginia Tech | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 22 Clemson | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | at No. 6 Duke | ESPN |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo by Joshua Lawton
tarheeltribune.com 