Jarin Stevenson Hopes To Offer Consistency, Display More Of Game At UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Opportunity was a crucial factor for Jarin Stevenson coming out of Seaforth High School, and with North Carolina’s already hefty 2024 recruiting class, Stevenson chose to reclassify and sign with Alabama for his freshman year.

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Stevenson played in each of Alabama’s 74 games the last two years in a reserve role, averaging 17.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10 forward showed flashes of what he could do — note his 19-point effort in the 2024 Elite Eight against Clemson, his career-high 22 points on 7-8 shooting against Texas and even the defensive versatility he displayed in the Smith Center against a UNC team he now plays for.

In his junior season, Stevenson hopes to present more of his skill set for his new team.

“I see myself as a three and a four, and just making an impact,” Stevenson said. “Like a Swiss army knife, just doing a lot of different things on the court, whether it’s rebounding, knocking down the three ball, driving, playing defense on different positions, being able to switch on different positions.”

North Carolina added Stevenson as a transfer portal addition in April. Stevenson averaged 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across two seasons with the Crimson Tide. Alabama reached the Final Four in his first season, and the Elite Eight in his sophomore year.

Thinking back on his time at Alabama, Stevenson said playing with those talented and experienced teams helped him grow his game.

“Grant (Nelson), he was able to also do a lot of things on the court, whether it’s on the perimeter, posting up or getting offensive rebounds and stuff like that,” Stevenson said. “Blocking shots, he taught me a lot about coming from the help side and blocking shots. Mark (Sears) was also a great leader. He taught me, even just pick and rolls with him, how to get the ball and in good spots and score, and how to help him out and help the team out.”

Stevenson said Tuesday that his family and his local friends were excited for him to come back to the area, as they’ll be in much closer proximity to him when he takes the court for North Carolina.

Stevenson and his family already built up a strong relationship with Hubert Davis when the Tar Heels recruited him years ago. So when Stevenson entered the portal after his sophomore year, UNC was already high up on the list. Davis said last month that he and the staff didn’t have to start from “ground zero” with Stevenson, which helped with the process.

“He’s a great kid,” Davis said last month about Stevenson. “He’s someone else that had a burning desire to be a part of this program and a part of this team. Being 6’10, one of the things that really impressed me last year when we played him was his ability on the defensive end. They put him on RJ, and he did a really good job getting around screens at 6’10, and so his versatility defensively, being able to guard multiple positions. He’s a really good 3-point shooter, terrific size, and so very hard to find that in your town.”

Stevenson said Davis gives him a checklist of items to accomplish every time he takes the court for practice, and that list of objectives includes making a 3-pointer, making a pull-up jump shot and grabbing an offensive rebound.

The Pittsboro forward is set to make his official UNC debut on Nov. 3 when the regular season begins against Central Arkansas. When the season gets going, Stevenson seeks to contribute a steadier flow of production for the Tar Heels.

“Definitely showcase a little bit more of what I can do, and also, I feel like being more consistent,” Stevenson said about taking the next steps in his game. “My time at Alabama, I wasn’t really the most consistent player. Some games, I would do very well. Some games, I wouldn’t produce as much. So I feel like this year is going to be important, being more consistent.”