By R.L. Bynum
Jarin Stevenson is returning for his senior season at Carolina to play for Coach Michael Malone, announcing his decision in a Monday afternoon Instagram post, declaring, “I’m back.”
What UNC is getting back is the version of Stevenson who steadily grew into a dependable two-way presence during his first season at North Carolina, following two seasons at Alabama. Stevenson averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds while starting 25 of 33 games, shooting 47.0% from the floor and 29.5% from 3-point range.
Over the final stretch, the numbers ticked upward in ways that matched the eye test. In UNC’s final 10 games, Stevenson averaged 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds and shot 51.4% from the field, giving the Tar Heels a steadier scoring option and a more physical rebounder as rotations tightened.
The signature spike arrived on Valentine’s Day in the Smith Center, when Stevenson delivered his season-best scoring performance in a short-handed win over Pittsburgh. He scored a season-high 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting, hitting 3-of-4 from outside the arc, as Carolina won 79–65.
In late January, he authored a key stretch in UNC’s road win at No. 14 Virginia, showing how his size and agility can swing matchups when Carolina leans into bigger lineups. He scored 17 points in the 85–50 victory.
And while his scoring came in waves, coaches and teammates repeatedly returned to the same theme: versatility. After UNC’s win over Ohio State, Seth Trimble put it plainly.
“He’s very versatile,” Trimble said. “He’s able to put the ball on the floor, he’s able to rebound, he’s able to defend one through five. He’s just a very versatile wing slash forward. It’s great for us.”
Stevenson scored multiple 3-pointers in six games, including three against SMU and against Pittsburgh. He had at least seven rebounds in seven games, with a season-high 10 against Clemson.
That flexibility mattered as North Carolina’s season twisted through injuries and lineup shuffles, with Stevenson toggling between wing and frontcourt responsibilities depending on need.
He finished the year as a player UNC could use in multiple lineup answers, switching defensively, spacing the floor offensively, and occupying different roles without the possession needing to be built around him.
His return also lands amid significant change at UNC. Stevenson’s decision gives Malone a frontcourt building block with ACC experience and a recent track record of production in a high-minute role.
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Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar and the seven players who entered the transfer portal return, which would put UNC one under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 3 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Sayon Keita | C | 7–0 | 215 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–7 | 190 |
| Freshman | Alexandros Samodurov | C | 6–11 | 212 | |
| RS freshman | Cade Bennerman — W | C | 7–0 | 205 | |
| Sophomore | Neoklis Avdalas — X | G | 6–9 | 215 | |
| Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 180 | |
| Sophomore | Matt Able — Y | G | 6–5 | 196 | |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Z | G | 6–3 | 174 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
W — Northwestern transfer. X — Virginia Tech transfer; Y — N.C. State transfer; Z — Utah transfer
Michael Malone’s coaching staff: Chuck Martin, Bryan Tibaldi, Sean May and Pat Sullivan; Deon Thompson will be a graduate assistant, and Brandon Robinson will reportedly have a support staff position.
Players who left for the transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 |
Schedule so far
(Other than the ACC/SEC Challenge, games without links revealed from reporting by Alex Rosinski or Rocco Miller)
(11 of 14 games)
Nov. 2 — vs. Western Carolina
Nov. 6 — vs. Wofford
Nov. 10 — vs. Wyoming
Nov. 13 — vs. Georgia
Nov. 20 — vs. Marshall
Nov. 27 — vs. West Virginia at the Dick Vitale Invitational at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center
Dec. 1 — vs. Arkansas in ACC/SEC Challenge
Dec. 12 — at Georgetown
Dec. 19 — vs. Kentucky in CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 — vs. The Citadel
November or December — vs. Butler
ACC games
Home and away: Duke, Louisville
Home only: California, Georgia Tech, Miami, N.C. State, SMU, Stanford, Virginia
Away only: Boston College, Florida State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Photo by Joshua Lawton
