Tag: Jarin Stevenson

Former UNC basketball target Jarin Stevenson returns home with Alabama

Jarin Stevenson grew up in Chapel Hill, but now plays his college basketball at Alabama.

One of the most highly-touted high school basketball prospects in recent years, Jarin Stevenson, grew up in Chapel Hill and played his high school basketball just down the road in Pittsboro.

The North Carolina Tar Heels were all over Stevenson in the recruiting process, hoping to add yet another homegrown talent to their roster. UNC was one of nine schools recruiting Stevenson, but more importantly, one of three finalists.

Stevenson ended up choosing Alabama in the end – and nine games into his sophomore season, Stevenson made his long-awaited return to Chapel Hill.

After the Crimson Tide dominated North Carolina on Wednesday, 94-79, Stevenson spoke briefly about what it meant to play – against the team he grew up cheering for.

“Tonight was definitely a surreal feeling,” Stevenson said. “I’ve been to quite a bit of their (UNC) games. My mom (Nicole (Walker) Stevenson) played here too. It’s nice being back and it’s always great to get a win.”

Jarin played 16 minutes in his 10th career start, scoring six points on a pair of 3-pointers. Stevenson grabbed three rebounds, dished out one assist and blocked one shot.

Stevenson was part of an extremely tall Alabama starting lineup, with himself, Grant Nelson and Cliff Omoruyi all standing 6’11”. The Tar Heels struggled to get into any sort of shooting rhythm against the Crimson Tide’s tall defense, particularly from deep, where the Tar Heels shot just 5-of-28.

Whenever a North Carolina target like Stevenson chooses elsewhere, it always makes me wonder “what if?” Would UNC be that much better if Stevenson was on the roster? Does Stevenson ever wish he stayed a Tar Heel?

It was odd seeing Stevenson in an Alabama uniform, but I’m glad the hometown kid enjoyed his return to Chapel Hill.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Alabama F Jarin Stevenson withdraws from NBA draft and is set to return to Alabama

Jarin Stevenson announces to return to Alabama forego 2024 NBA draft

Wednesday was a massive day for [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide as both [autotag]Mark Sears[/autotag] and now officially [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag] withdrew from the NBA draft and will return to Tuscaloosa in 2024.

Many people were projecting the Tide to be a top-five team going into next season as things stood, but now, with two massive contributors coming back, the majority of people will view Alabama as the No. 1 team in the country.

Stevenson’s decision to enter the draft came as a bit of a surprise after starting just five games in 2023-24 and averaging 5.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg. The Chapel Hill native was a five-star and top-50 recruit coming out of high school so all of the potential is there, but I think another year in Oats system with real minutes will be the best thing for his development. He will eventually find himself playing in the NBA so I don’t think there was any reason to rush into it this cycle. However, that almost means with 100% certainty he will be gone next summer.

After having the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 Tournament and obviously their legendary Final Four run in 2024, Alabama is no longer going to be sneaking up on anyone. The target is on the Tide’s back and a national title is the goal.

 

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

CBB expert gives updated NBA draft status on Mark Sears and Jarin Stevenson

Sports Illustrated CBB expert gives NBA draft update on Mark Sears and Jarin Stevenson

College basketball players who entered the NBA draft have until the end of the day today to return to school for the 2024-25 season. If they decide to stay in the draft beyond today, all remaining college eligibility will be for one so it is very much a role-of-the-dice decision for several players, including Alabama Crimson Tide PG [autotag]Mark Sears[/autotag] and F [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag].

Both players seem to be on the fence as to what decision they will ultimately make. Still, Sports Illustrated college basketball expert Kevin Sweeney shared his opinions of the two players.

Sweeney ultimately thinks that the best decision Sears can make is to return to Tuscaloosa for the 2024-25 season. With Sears on the roster, the Crimson Tide are clearly the No.1 team in the country, but it’s his draft status we are concerned about. Under six-foot tall, Sears height will be a deciding factor for some teams as well as a poor showing at the combine.

As for Stevenson, it is still up in the air. My belief is that the Chapel Hill, NC native is going to stick through the draft process, but I think a year of college ball would work wonders for him.

Even if both players remain in the draft, Oats and Alabama have a solid roster and team in place. However, if they can find a way to get both guys back in 2024-25, anything short of a deep March Madness run will be a failure.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

ESPN’s Way-Too-Early NCAAM top 25 ranks Alabama No. 6 in the country

Alabama ranked No. 6 in ESPN College Basketball Expert’s way-too-early top 25

While the NBA draft process may still be ongoing, the transfer portal window is closed and we can start to assess what teams are going to look like next year. For [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide, it was a wildly successful spring as they landed four key transfers in Aden Holloway from Auburn, Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers, Chris Youngblood from USF and Houston Mallette from Pepperdine. Oats also earned a commitment from the No. 32 ranked player in the 2024 class in former Kansas commit Labaron Philon.

Grant Nelson announced his decision to return to the Crimson Tide next year, but we are still nervously waiting on a decision from Mark Sears. It sounds more likely than not that Sears, Alabama’s best player from a season ago, will be back in Tuscaloosa, but nothing is official yet. Freshman Jarin Stevenson also entered his name in the draft process, but we haven’t heard much about his status yet.

With one of the best coaches in the sport and a top two or three roster, the expectations will be high for Alabama coming off the programs first ever Final Four. In ESPN college basketball expert Jeff Borzello’s Way-Too-Early top 25, the Crimson Tide are ranked No. 6 in the country.

Borzello says of Alabama, “Nate Oats spent the first part of the offseason overhauling the perimeter group. Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen — and perhaps Mark Sears — are out the door, while Aden Holloway (Auburn), Chris Youngblood (South Florida) and Houston Mallette (Pepperdine) have arrived. The past couple of weeks, however, he’s been focused on the frontcourt, first getting starting forward Grant Nelson back and then beating out North Carolina for Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball throughout the 2024 offseason.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

All-American Caleb Love headlines list of invitees for G League Elite Camp

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the G League Elite Camp on May 11-12 in Chicago, Illinois.

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the 2024 NBA G League Elite Camp May 11-12 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Love was voted a third-team All-American by the Associated Press and the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 41.3% shooting from the field with the Wildcats. He finished fourth in the conference in scoring.

The 6-foot-4 guard transferred to Arizona in May 2023 after spending three years at North Carolina. He finished with 1,476 career points in 101 games with the Tar Heels and made 200 3-pointers, which ranks eighth in program history.

The full list of players invited to the G League Elite Camp:

Player Previous
Mark Armstrong Villanova
Taran Armstrong Cairns Taipans (NBL)
Adama Bal Santa Clara
Keion Brooks Jr. Washington
Terrell Burden Kennesaw State
Branden Carlson Utah
Walter Clayton Jr. Florida
Isaiah Crawford Louisiana Tech
Yongxi Cui Guangzhou (China)
Clarence Daniels New Hampshire
Thierry Darlan G League Ignite
Garwey Dual Providence
Sean East II Missouri
Jesse Edwards West Virginia
Boogie Ellis USC
Tristan Enaruna Cleveland State
Aaron Estrada Alabama
Allen Flanigan Mississippi
Enrique Freeman Akron
Blake Hinson Pitt
Jaelen House New Mexico
Isaac Jones Washington State
Arthur Kaluma Kansas State
Chaz Lanier North Florida
Jaedon LeDee San Diego State
Xaivian Lee Princeton
Jalen Lewis Overtime Elite
Malique Lewis Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
Caleb Love Arizona
Baba Miller Florida State
Emanuel Miller TCU
Judah Mintz Syracuse
Matthew Murrell Mississippi
Baye Ndongo Georgia Tech
Jameer Nelson Jr. TCU
Ugonna Onyenso Kentucky
Wooga Poplar Miami (Fla.)
Zyon Pullin Florida
Mantas Rubstavicius NZ Breakers (NBL)
Babacar Sane G League Ignite
Isaiah Stevens Colorado State
Jarin Stevenson Alabama
Nae’Qwan Tomlin Memphis
Bryson Warren Sioux Falls Skyforce (G League)
Anton Watson Gonzaga

The 45 prospects invited to the G League Elite Camp were voted on by team executives. The list of players typically indicates those with the highest odds of being selected or signed as undrafted free agents with teams after the draft on June 27.

The event will feature 5-on-5 games, strength and agility testing, shooting drills, measurements and other related on-court exercises. Prospects will have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in a competitive environment against their peers.

The top players from the G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the draft combine on May 12-19. The event has helped several players advance to the combine and eventually make it to the NBA, including Jose Alvarado, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Terance Mann.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262612]

Former Alabama Basketball guard Aaron Estrada receives invite to G-League Elite Camp

Former Alabama basketball guard Aaron Estrada became the second member of the Crimson Tide to receive an invite to the G-League Elite Camp.

On Monday, former Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball guard Aaron Estrada received an invite to attend the G-League Elite Camp. He will be the second member of the Crimson Tide to attend the camp. The first player that was invited from the Crimson Tide was forward Jarin Stevenson.

Forty-four prospects for the 2024 NBA draft will participate in two scrimmages in Chicago. Oftentimes, if a prospect performs well enough, they will receive an invite to attend the NBA draft’s annual combine. Two players who have participated in the G-League Elite Camp and have gone on to have successful NBA careers are Jose Alvarado and Terrance Mann.

Estrada will be one of the prospects that will have an opportunity to showcase his skill set in the Windy City. Estrada spent one season at Alabama after making stops at Oregon, St. Peter’s, and Hofstra. During his one season in Tuscaloosa, Estrada made 37 starts. He averaged 13.4 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, and 4.6 assists per game.

Estrada will look to make a name for himself with hopes of receiving an invite to the NBA draft combine. Alabama guard Mark Sears will represent the Crimson Tide at the NBA draft combine.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball team.

Alabama freshman forward Jarin Stevenson declares for 2024 NBA draft

The freshman will test the NBA waters

Although he has yet to make an official public announcement, Alabama Crimson Tide freshman forward [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag] has declared for the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.

Stevenson, along with other prospects has one month to go through the NBA draft process before having to decide to whether or not to remain in the draft or return to college.

Stevenson put together his best performance of the season in the Crimson Tide’s first-ever Elite Eight win over Clemson, where he scored a season-high 19 points while converting a season-best five 3-pointers. He played in all 37 of Alabama’s games this past season and made five starts during SEC play. The true freshman averaged 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Stevenson as he goes through the NBA draft process and will provide updates as they become available.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Top images from Alabama basketball’s Final Four prep in Phoenix

See how Alabama has been preparing for the Final Four of March Madness while in Phoenix through this photo gallery.

The Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball team will take on the top overall team in the Final Four of March Madness, the UConn Huskies, with a chance to play for a national championship on the line.

Nate Oats and his team, consisting of standout players like [autotag]Mark Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Grant Nelson[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Pringle[/autotag], [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Pringle[/autotag], have been in Phoenix since Tuesday and are still preparing for what is going to be the most important game in Crimson Tide basketball history.

UConn ended up landing in Phoenix in the early hours of Thursday morning after a handful of logistics issues delayed the Huskies’ flight.

The two teams will meet on the court at State Farm Arena at 8:49 p.m. ET.

Top photos from Alabama’s Final Four prep

The irony of where Alabama basketball is preparing for the Final Four

Alabama basketball is gearing up to take on UConn in the Final Four of March Madness in a gym that you wouldn’t believe.

Alabama Crimson Tide basketball won the West Region as the No. 4 seed and is now preparing to take on the top-seeded UConn Huskies in the Final Four. This unprecedented March Madness run by the program is not over yet, as head coach [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] and his team look to advance to the national championship game.

Though UConn arrived in Phoenix, the site of the Final Four, very early Thursday morning, the Crimson Tide has been there since Tuesday, preparing for the biggest game in the program’s history.

A series of photos shared to social media by the Alabama men’s basketball account shows the team, and its many stars like [autotag]Mark Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Grant Nelson[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Pringle[/autotag], [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag] and others, at their temporary practice facility.

The irony of it all is that the Crimson Tide is practicing at the home of Grand Canyon University, the team Alabama defeated in the round of 32 of this year’s tournament.

In response, the Grand Canyon men’s basketball account quoted to post and said “Just lock up when you’re done.”

Alabama defeated Grand Canyon in a physical battle that resulted in a low-scoring thriller that ended with a final score of 72-61.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball as the team gets ready to face the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of March Madness.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

What’s the statistical chance Alabama beats UCONN in the Final Four?

Alabama basketball has made it all the way to the Final Four in March Madness, but what chance does the Crimson Tide have in defeating the Huskies?

Alabama Crimson Tide basketball has made it to the Final Four, the first in the program’s history. This March Madness run has been memorable for head coach Nate Oats and his team, but they now face the tough task of taking on the UCONN Huskies with a trip to the national championship on the line in Phoenix.

Star players for Alabama like [autotag]Mark Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Grant Nelson[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Pringle[/autotag] and even [autotag]Jarin Stevenson[/autotag] have played huge roles in getting this team this far in the tournament. UCONN, a No. 1 seed, has been a juggernaut and looks practically unbeatable.

ESPN’s advanced analytics broke down the chance each team has to win this game. In short, it does not look good for the Tide.

The Huskies have a 71.6% chance of advancing past the Final Four, which gives Alabama only a 28.4% chance of keeping its national championship hopes alive.

Alabama recently received some good news from guard Latrell Wrightsell, who has been out since the round of 32 with a head injury. He told reporters that he plans on returning and playing against UCONN.

When will Alabama Basketball and UCONN tip off in the Final Four?

On Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 8:49 p.m. ET, the Crimson Tide and Huskies will get things underway in Phoenix.

The winner of this matchup will go on to face the winner of No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers and No. 4 NC State Wolfpack for a national title.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.