Steven Jamerson's Journey From College Student to UCLA Transfer

UCLA's latest transfer center went from walking Michigan State's campus as a student to transferring to Westwood four years later.

Dec 3, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; San Diego Toreros center Steven Jamerson II (24) looks to pass the ball against Stanford Cardinal forward Maxime Raynaud (42) during the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Incoming UCLA transfer center Steven Jamerson had a unique journey to the Bruins. Everything he went through and overcame led him to Westwood through the transfer portal this offseason.

The 6-foot-10 senior detailed his journey in an exclusive interview with David Woods of BruinReportOnline. His story started in high school, out of Crespi (Encino, California), where he wasn't nearly recruited and decided to go to Michigan State as a regular student.

"It was night and day," Jamerson said of the difference between entering the portal this offseason and being recruited out of high school. "I didn't really have too much recruitment coming out of high school. My only offer was from Augustana, a Division-III school, so I ended up going to Michigan State as a regular student... So, from that to having phone calls immediately when I entered the portal... it felt good."

Jamerson went to MSU with the intention to walk on to the basketball team, or at least try and be a manager. He wasn't able to do either and went down a different route that led him to University of San Diego.

"I enjoyed my time as a student and saw it through a different type of lens that you wouldn't really see if you were a student-athlete," Jamerson said. "After the semester ended, I came back [to Encino] and started to do some pro-am adult leagues and get some film out there. And, thankfully enough, I was blessed to have been seen by coach [Steve] Lavin over at USD, and they blessed me with a walk-on spot."

Jamerson averaged 10.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 31 games in San Diego last season. The Toreros finished last season 6-27 and lost to Loyola Marymount in the second round of the West Coast Conference Tournament.

Shortly after entering the portal following the season, the Bruins reached out to the Los Angeles native.

"It was a little bit up to a week when I got my first call from UCLA," Jamerson recalled. "It was coach [Darren] Savino ho reached out. Right from the jump, I felt the love and I felt that they wanted me to be there and that I could be a good part of their team and play a good role for them and help UCLA get back to that Final Four."

Jamerson could be playing an interesting role with the Bruins next year with no set traditional center on the roster. Although, Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker is likely to run at the five despite being a power forward witht the Spartans.

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