By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — When Jarin Stevenson slipped on a North Carolina jersey for the first time at the Smith Center, it wasn’t just a homecoming — it was a chance to show Tar Heels fans his defensive prowess.
The 6–10 Stevenson’s ability to guard across positions — from guarding top-tier wings and centers to smaller, quicker guards — has quickly become one of UNC’s most valuable assets.
It was on full display during Friday’s exhibition when he was tasked with defending BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, one of the top freshmen in the country. Stevenson held Dybantsa under 20 points, a feat that required intense preparation.
“He was a tough matchup. Very talented player,” said Stevenson, who started both exhibitions in the spot many presume will go to wing Luka Bogavac when the Montenegrin junior is cleared to play. “I had to study quite a bit of film. Just move my feet. Try to force a tough shot, force him to pass it. Just make him shoot a tough shot.”
Just days later, Stevenson found himself guarding Winston-Salem State players several inches shorter than him in Wednesday’s 95–53 exhibition victory.
The contrast in assignments highlighted his rare versatility. It’s something UNC coach Hubert Davis painfully first noticed last season when Stevenson guarded RJ Davis during Alabama’s win in Chapel Hill, forcing the 6–0 guard into a 1 for 11 night from 3-point range.
“Unfortunately, where I found out that he could do that was against us last year on RJ,” Davis said. “He does a really nice job of getting around screens, and he can move his feet. He’s disciplined defensively, and he can also rebound the basketball.”
That defensive discipline has translated into early trust from Davis, who has already leaned on Stevenson to take on high-level assignments. The coach sees Stevenson as a key to unlocking lineup flexibility.
“His ability with his size? He really can guard one through five,” Davis said. “So, it gives us the versatility on the defensive end to be able to do different things because of his ability to be able to do that.”
While he’s not the most vocal player on the team, Stevenson leads by example, and that showed in how he responded after the team struggled from 3-point range in the first half on Wednesday. Stevenson helped spark the turnaround with energy plays and defensive stops.
Stevenson, who blocked a dunk attempt from behind in the first half, He knocked down shots to help UNC turn the game into a blowout. It wasn’t just the fact that he scored 11 points and made a pair of 3-pointers, but that he was aggressive and also pulled down six rebounds and blocked two shots.
“I was really happy with him being able to hit some shots in the second half,” Davis said. “We’ve got to get him more. I’ve got to get him more shots. Just because he’s just so talented on the offensive end as well.”
Stevenson suggested that the Tar Heels’ defense fueled the team’s offense during that dominant second half.
“I feel like energy and making a defensive play, that gets the offense going, that gets us in transition, that gets everybody hype,” he said. “Just picking up the energy was really a big thing — swinging the one more [pass], getting each other good looks.”
For Stevenson, playing in Chapel Hill is more than just basketball. It’s personal for the junior playing in his hometown after a high school career at nearby Seaforth High School.
“It feels great,” he said. “I had a lot of my family and friends here. They even helped me work out sometimes late at night, so I’m not alone,” he said. “Just being home and the prestige here. A lot of great players came from here … Dean Smith, Coach [Roy] Williams, other prestigious coaches, too. It’s definitely a great feeling.”
As the season begins in earnest, Stevenson is ready to keep proving himself.
“Yeah, I’m excited for that. Starts for real,” he said. “The team’s gonna be ready. We’re gonna go hard in these next few practices. Coach Davis is gonna be on us. And, yeah, we’re gonna be ready.”
| Date | Time/ scores | Month/day | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 9 | W, 88–70 | Friday | vs. No. 21 USC in Greensboro | |
| 18 | L, 76–58 | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis | |
| 27 | 7:30 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte | ACCN Extra |
| November | Regular season | |||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Western Carolina | ACCN |
| 6 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Wofford | ACCN |
| 10 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming | ACCN |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Georgia | ESPN2 |
| 20 | 9 p.m. | Friday | vs. Marshall | ACCN |
| 23 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Monmouth | ACCN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte | ESPN |
| December | ||||
| 1 | 7:30 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 12 Arkansas | ESPN |
| 6 | 3 p.m. | Sunday | vs. Butler | ESPN2 |
| 12 | Noon | Saturday | at Georgetown | Peacock |
| 15 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro | ESPN2 |
| 19 | 2:30 | Saturday | CBS Sports Classic vs. No. 23 Kentucky in New York | CBS |
| 21 | 8 p.m. | Monday | vs. The Citadel | The CW |
| 30 | 4 p.m. | Wednesday | vs. California | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 2 | 4 p.m. | Saturday | at Boston College | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 5 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at No. 11 Louisville | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 9 | Noon | Saturday | vs. N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Wednesday | at Florida State | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| 16 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Stanford | The CW |
| 19 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. No. 9 Virginia | ESPN |
| 23 | Noon | Saturday | at Syracuse | ESPN or 2 or U |
| 26 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. SMU | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 30 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 3 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. | ESPN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | at Notre Dame | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech | The CW |
| 8 | 6 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 11 Louisville | ESPN |
| 13 | 5:30 | Saturday | at No. 2 Duke | ABC |
| 20 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 22 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 14 Miami | ESPN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Virginia Tech | ESPN |
| March | ||||
| 2 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | vs. No. 2 Duke | ESPN |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics
