Alabama Forward Jarin Stevenson Preparing to Face Hometown Team
Stevenson chose Alabama over his hometown school North Carolina out of high school. Now, he's facing that team in the NCAA Tournament.
LOS ANGELES — Chapel Hill, N.C.
That city has notoriety for two reasons ahead of the West regional Sweet 16 matchups in Los Angeles this weekend. Firstly, it's the location of the University of North Carolina, Alabama's opponent in the regional semifinal round.
But it's also the hometown of Alabama freshman forward Jarin Stevenson.
Stevenson is a North Carolina legacy. His mother, Nicole, played for North Carolina in college. He grew up just down the road from campus, and has Tar Heel blood coursing through his veins.
“I think it is [special]. I grew up there, watched a few of their games. They’re a great school too, so I’m excited for it," Stevenson said. “[My mom]'s excited to watch the game, too, with it being her alma mater. She’ll probably be cheering for me, though, since I’m her son.”
Not only his mother, but Stevenson's father also played basketball. He played professionally in South Korea, having Jarin spend six years of his childhood there before moving back to North Carolina for high school.
“They were teaching me different tricks in the post, defending the post, out on the perimeter," Stevenson said. "Different ways to make impacts, make plays. It was great, they’ve been teaching me since I was like, two.”
Playing high school in the heart of Tar Heel country, Stevenson received an offer from North Carolina at a young age, early in his high school career. He got to know North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis and his coaching staff through a multitde of unofficial visits, which were easy to complete with his proximity to campus.
As Stevenson's stock grew, his decision ultimately came down to North Carolina and Alabama. He chose to leave his hometown and forge his own path in Tuscaloosa instead of following in the footsteps of his mother.
“I felt like I could make a bigger impact here," Stevenson said. "I love the offense here, with it playing fast and stuff I thought I could improve here more. That was the main decision. I feel like I’m getting better, just different things, seeing the ball. I feel like it’s going to show, especially next year.”
“It was a hard decision. I love the school, for sure, Carolina’s a great school. Getting to know the players and coaches, seeing the facilities, it’s a great school. It was a hard decision.”
Now, Stevenson has the chance to take on the school from the hometown he left on one of the biggest possible stages, the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
“I saw down the line [playing North Carolina] could happen," Stevenson said. "Now that it is happening, I’m excited for it, for sure. I lived 10 minutes away from the campus, so it’s kind of crazy.”
Tipoff between 4-seed Alabama and 1-seed North Carolina is set for roughly 8:40 p.m. CT on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The game will be broadcast on CBS, and the winner will advance to the Elite Eight. A win would be Alabama's second-ever trip to the Elite Eight in program history.
