North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson spoke to the media on Tuesday to talk about coming home to play for North Carolina and fitting in to his new team with his unique skillset.
Here is a partial transcript:
You’ve spoken a little bit about this in the past, but obviously, you know, you want to go to the lead. You want to go to the NBA. Why was UNC maybe not initially out of high school, but why is it now like the right decision for you on that path?Well, I feel like my recruit, or at least they had a lot of stacked talent when I was first coming in. A big thing with me, I wanted, you know, experience, get playing time again, make the NBA and show what I can do.
And then, yeah, just coming back, I feel like, again, yeah, UNC had great staff. Again, they impressed me when I was a freshman and stuff. So, yeah, just, yeah, coming back, I feel like it was the right choice. I feel like my goals align with their goals, and I feel like I can help this team.
Coach Davis says he’s known you and your family for a long time. How has your relationship with him evolved from when you were in high school to now?
Yeah, yeah. He’s known me since, like, ninth grade, tenth grade. So, yeah, we’ve known each other for quite a while. And then, yeah, we’ve been able to meet and learn about each other a lot. Yeah, Coach Davis, he’s a great guy. He’s a great coach, great leader.
Yeah, I’ve learned a few things from him basketball -wise and just, like, personality-wise and just being a great, you know, young man. I feel like he’s good at being creative or, like, help teaching young men and stuff like that.
You’re talking about helping this team, feeling like you can help this team. Where do you see yourself doing that? You know, some people view you as a tweener between the three and the four and, you know, know you’re working with both groups. Like, how do you see yourself helping this team? And where do you see yourself, like, playing positionally?
Yeah, I see myself as a three and a four. And, you know, just making an impact, rebounding. Like a Swiss Army knife, I feel like, is doing a lot of different things on the court. But there’s rebounding, knocking down the three ball, driving, playing defense, and on different positions, being able to switch on different positions. And, you know, just being a Swiss Army knife and doing a lot of different things on the court.
Do you feel like you’ll be able to show your offensive skill set better here? It seems like at Alabama, there was three-pointers and layups and nothing in between. What’s the contrast been like?
Yeah, I definitely like that about here. I can showcase a little bit more. But, yeah, I feel like, yeah, Hubert, he puts players in a good position to showcase their talents. He has me again at the three where I can do different things on the perimeter and stuff. Or even at the four, I can pick and pop or pick and roll, get the ball posted up, and do different things on the court, I feel like.
What are the things last year that you would have liked to have done and maybe just didn’t fit into the system?
Um, yeah, I feel like, yeah, Alabama, they have a great offense and stuff. Again, I just feel like I just want to showcase a little bit more of my, yeah, middy (mid-range) game or, like, just, yeah, more middy game, I guess.
Is it weird at all for you to be back here?
Is there, like, it’s weird? It is definitely a little weird. Um, yeah, yeah, seeing my friends and stuff from high school again, and, yeah, I’ve been so close to this university for such a long time, so you’re just being back weird in school.
