Home is where the basketball is for Chapel Hill native and Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson

By Pat Welter

You could say he's Alabama by choice, but Carolina by blood.

"I grew up there watched a few of their games and it's a great school too," Jarin Stevenson said to a group of reporters around his locker inside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. "I'm excited for it."

Stevenson is a freshman forward for Alabama. He was born in San Antonio, Texas but is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the home of the Tar Heels.

"I feel like I'm getting better at different things," Stevenson said. "Handling the ball I feel like it's going to show especially next year."

Stevenson has averaged 5.2 points per game and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. Given where he's from some thought he'd choose to play at UNC, especially since his mother, Nicole Stevenson, played for the Tar Heels from 1994-98.

"I came in the year after they won the national championship," Nicole said.

Her team's didn't win a national title, but they accomplished a lot. She made the Sweet 16 in 1995, 1997 and 1998, including a trip to the elite eight in 98. She also was a part of three ACC Tournament Champion teams. Her twin sister was also on the team, but that's just the beginning of the Stevenson family basketball roots.

"We are the definition of a basketball family," Nicole said.

Jarin's dad, Jarod Stevenson, played for the University of Richmond and professionally all over the world.

"It was great, them teaching me different tricks in the post, defending the post, out on the perimeter," Jarin said. "Different things that would make an impact. They've been teaching me since I was like two."

"We both know a lot about the ins and outs of basketball," Jarod said. "It's a unique opportunity where we can show Jarin a lot of things that most parents can't."

Jarin started his high school career at Northwood high school where he played alongside UNC commit Drake Powell. The Chargers made the state championship his freshman year. For his sophomore and junior years Jarin played for the newly formed Seaforth High School in Pittsboro where his parents were his coaches.

"He's a very coachable kid," Nicole said. "He's always wanting to learn. I think sometimes there might be a dynamic where it's hard to coach your own son. He made that very, very easy on us and it's paid off in the long run."

The easy choice for Jarin would have been to commit to the hometown team UNC, who was his first offer, but Alabama doesn't seem so far away when you spent part of your childhood on the other side of the world. Jarin lived in South Korea from first grade to seventh grade.

"My dad played there professionally in the KBL [Korean Basketball League], it was a joy going over there and watching him play," Jarin said. "While I was in middle school I played for the varsity and the JV team."

For Jarin, choosing Alabama over UNC was strictly a basketball decision.

"It was a very tough decision because there's a lot of Tar Heel fans in this area, but also in our family," Nicole said. "When it came down to it he felt like Alabama was a better fit."

"I felt like I could make a bigger impact here," Jarin said. "I loved the offense here with it playing fast, I felt like I could improve here more."

Alabama was also a chance to get ahead start. Jarin could still be in high school right now, but told his parents he was ready for a bigger challenge both athletically and academically. He reclassified to be part of the 2023 class.

"Reclassing up I knew what was going to happen," Jarin said. "College life, getting used to that, it's great."

It's his first March Madness as a college basketball player and the Stevenson family is living the dream.

"He loved the coaches at both schools," Nicole said. "He made his decision and what are the chances he'd be playing against North Carolina in the Sweet 16."