### Jarin Stevenson Comes Home: UNC Lands Hometown Hero from Alabama in Transfer Portal Coup
**By Alex Rivera, Sports Editor**
*Chapel Hill, NC – November 26, 2025*
In a move that feels like destiny catching up with opportunity, the University of North Carolina men’s basketball program has secured a commitment from Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson, a 6-foot-11 Chapel Hill native who once slipped through the Tar Heels’ fingers as a high school phenom. The announcement, first reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony on April 13, 2025, sent shockwaves through the ACC and beyond, marking Stevenson’s triumphant return to his roots after two seasons in Tuscaloosa. Now, as the 2025-26 season tips off in earnest—following UNC’s gritty 85-70 victory over St. Bonaventure in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on this very date—Stevenson’s integration into Hubert Davis’ revamped roster couldn’t be more timely.
Stevenson, a rising junior born on October 15, 2005, isn’t just another transfer portal acquisition. He’s a homegrown talent whose basketball journey reads like a script from a Hollywood underdog flick: local kid makes good elsewhere, faces adversity, then circles back to fulfill what many believe was always his true calling. At 20 years old and weighing in at 215 pounds, the versatile forward brings size, perimeter shooting, and untapped defensive potential to a Tar Heels squad hungry for redemption after a middling 2024-25 campaign that saw them exit the NCAA Tournament in the second round.
The commitment caps a whirlwind offseason for Davis, who has aggressively wielded the portal to address glaring deficiencies in frontcourt depth and physicality. Stevenson becomes the fourth and most intriguing addition, joining West Virginia wing Jonathan Powell, Arizona center Henri Veesaar, and Colorado State guard Kyan Evans. This quartet has transformed UNC from a team plagued by injuries and inconsistency into a legitimate ACC contender, one poised to challenge for a deep March run under the Smith Center’s rafters.
To understand the magnitude of this landing, one must rewind to Stevenson’s origins. Raised in the shadow of Dean E. Smith Center, young Jarin honed his skills on Chapel Hill courts, idolizing Tar Heel legends like Michael Jordan and Vince Carter. But it was at Seaforth High School in nearby Pittsboro—where his father, Jarod Stevenson, served as head coach and his mother as assistant—that Jarin blossomed into a four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 2 prospect in North Carolina for the Class of 2024.
As a sophomore at Seaforth, Stevenson erupted for 20.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 2.4 assists per game, earning first-team all-conference honors and Mid-Carolina 1A/2A Player of the Year accolades. His junior year was even more dominant: 21.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, and 2.7 assists, capped by a North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year award. Shooting over 60% from the field, the lanky forward showcased a rare blend of inside dominance and outside touch, drawing comparisons to a young Harrison Barnes for his smooth stroke and basketball IQ.
The recruiting buzz was electric. Offers poured in from blue-blood programs: Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, and of course, in-state powerhouse UNC. Hubert Davis, then in his third year at the helm, extended a scholarship in early 2023, making the Tar Heels a frontrunner. Stevenson narrowed his list to Alabama, Virginia, and UNC, visiting Chapel Hill multiple times and raving about the program’s family atmosphere. “UNC feels like home,” he told recruits in a 2023 interview. But in a decision that stunned Tar Heel Nation, Stevenson reclassified to the 2023 class—forgoing his senior year—and committed to Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide in June of that year. The rationale? He feared limited playing time behind UNC’s loaded incoming class, featuring five-star guards Drake Powell (another Chatham County product) and Ian Jackson.
The move to Alabama was a calculated risk. The Tide, fresh off a Final Four appearance in 2023, promised immediate opportunity in a high-octane system. Stevenson enrolled early, joining a roster stacked with NBA-bound talent like Mark Sears and Aaron Estrada. His freshman season (2023-24) was a mixed bag. He appeared in 32 games, averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per outing. Highlights included a 19-point explosion—on 5-of-8 three-point shooting—in Alabama’s Elite Eight rout of Clemson, a performance that propelled the Tide to the Final Four. But shadows loomed: he scored zero points in the national semifinals loss to eventual champion UConn, exposing inconsistencies in a rotation that prioritized veterans.
Sophomore year brought modest growth but mounting frustration. Stevenson bumped his averages to 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds across 18.7 minutes in 34 games, starting sporadically amid Alabama’s 25-10 record. His three-point shooting dipped to 30.7% (31-of-101), a far cry from high school efficiency, and he struggled against physical ACC-caliber bigs. In the NCAA Tournament, where Alabama fell in the Sweet 16 to a surging Gonzaga squad, Stevenson’s minutes capped at 19 per game, with just three made field goals across four contests. Off the court, whispers of homesickness surfaced—Chapel Hill was just a five-hour drive away, yet it felt worlds apart.
By March 2025, with the Tide’s season over, Stevenson entered the transfer portal on March 20, citing a desire for “more consistent minutes and a system that fits my skill set.” The timing was poetic: UNC, reeling from a 20-12 regular season marred by frontcourt injuries to Ven-Allen Lubin and Jalen Washington, was in full rebuild mode. Davis, known for his player development wizardry, wasted no time. He personally called Stevenson the day the portal opened, reigniting a recruitment that had simmered for two years. “Coach Davis said, ‘We’ve been waiting for you,'” Stevenson later recounted in a Daily Tar Heel feature. “It hit me right then—this is where I belong.”
The courtship was swift and sentimental. Stevenson visited Chapel Hill incognito, attending a spring practice where he reconnected with Powell, his former Northwood High teammate. They had battled in high school—Northwood vs. Seaforth in Chatham County classics— and shared stories of their parallel paths. Powell, now a sophomore eyeing the NBA Draft, became an unofficial ambassador, texting Stevenson game film and hyping the Tar Heels’ brotherhood. Family played a pivotal role too; Jarod Stevenson, a former pro overseas, had long harbored Tar Heel dreams, while Jarin’s mother emphasized the comfort of proximity.
Competition was fierce. Kansas, Virginia (a high school finalist), and even Alabama (for a flip) entered the fray, but UNC’s pitch—guaranteed rotation minutes, a need for his exact skill profile, and the allure of home—proved irresistible. On April 13, Stevenson announced via social media: a photo of himself in a UNC jersey, captioned “Carolina Called. I Answered. #TarHeelForLife.” The commitment made him the fourth portal pledge, bolstering a roster that now boasts eight newcomers alongside holdovers like RJ Davis and Seth Trimble.
For UNC, Stevenson’s arrival addresses a glaring void. Last season’s Tar Heels ranked 14th in the ACC in rebounding margin (-1.2) and dead last in blocks per game (3.1), exposed in losses to beefier foes like Duke and Virginia. At 6-11 with a 7-foot wingspan, Stevenson slots in as a stretch-four/power forward hybrid, capable of guarding multiple positions and spacing the floor. His high school pedigree suggests untapped upside: imagine a more physical version of Cory Joseph or a budget Justin Edwards, anchoring pick-and-pops with RJ Davis while switching onto wings like Clemson’s Elite Eight hero.
Early fall scrimmages have validated the hype. In a closed-door session last month, Stevenson dropped 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including two threes, while swatting three shots against Veesaar in practice. “Jarin’s got that dog in him now,” Davis said post-scrimmage. “He’s bulked up 10 pounds, worked on his handle, and his shot’s coming alive. This isn’t the kid who left for Alabama—he’s a man ready to compete.” Teammates echo the sentiment. Powell called him “the missing piece,” while Evans, the sharpshooting guard, praised his passing vision: “He sees the floor like a guard trapped in a big’s body.”
Yet challenges remain. Stevenson’s three-point woes (31.2% career at Alabama) must improve; UNC’s motion offense demands 35% from deep for bigs. Physicality is another hurdle—at 215 pounds, he’ll face ACC bruisers like NC State’s DJ Burns or Virginia Tech’s Lynn Kidd. Off the court, the pressure of “hometown hero” status looms large. “Playing against UNC last year in the Smith Center? That was weird,” Stevenson admitted in an October sit-down. “Alabama won 94-79, but I felt the fans pulling for me anyway. Now, I get to give that energy back.”
As the season unfolds, Stevenson’s arc could define UNC’s trajectory. The Tar Heels open ACC play against a loaded Duke squad on January 4, a matchup where his familiarity with Blue Devil guards—honed in Alabama’s neutral-site clashes—could shine. Analysts project a top-25 finish, with bracketologists slotting UNC as a No. 4 seed in early mocks. For Stevenson, it’s personal: redemption for the reclassification regret, validation for the portal gamble, and a chance to etch his name in Carolina lore.
In Chapel Hill, where basketball pulses like a heartbeat, Jarin Stevenson’s homecoming isn’t just a transfer—it’s a full-circle story of perseverance. As he laces up for tonight’s postgame reflections, one thing’s clear: the prodigal son has returned, and the Tar Heels are all the stronger for it.
*Word count: 1,028*
*(Sources: ESPN, Daily Tar Heel, Tar Heel Times, Chapelboro.com)*
Leave a Reply