Jarin Stevenson to test NBA draft waters
Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson has officially declared for the NBA Draft and will seek feedback from NBA scouts and executives. Stevenson has until May 29th to withdraw from the draft if he wishes to return to school.
After reclassifying from the class of 2024 to the class of 2023, Jarin Stevenson joined Alabama Basketball for the 2023-24 season and enjoyed a successful freshman campaign. He played in all 37 games for the Tide, making five starts throughout the year and averaging 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Stevenson reached double-figures six times, with his best game of the season coming against Clemson in the Elite 8 regional final round of the NCAA Tournament. Against the Tigers, Jarin Stevenson hit a career-high five three-pointers en route to 19 points, adding a pair of blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
The 6’11” freshman showed lots of promise and will now find out what pro scouts think of his game. This is a wise decision for Stevenson, who has nothing to lose by testing the waters to get invaluable feedback and advice. His game is a perfect fit for the modern NBA, and he is the type of player that a team might take a chance on due to his upside.
If he returns to Alabama as many expect, he has plenty of room to grow. In theory, Stevenson’s role would be expanded on the 2024-25 team and he would have the opportunity to post more impressive numbers. In addition to getting a little stronger, he would benefit from improving on his efficiency numbers (41.8 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from three-point range).
If Jarin Stevenson receives positive feedback and opts to stay in the draft, it would certainly be a blow. However, it wouldn’t be a loss that Alabama Basketball couldn’t recover from.
With the Tide very active in the portal looking for a true center, as well as the return of fellow stretch four Grant Nelson, Alabama's starting frontcourt will likely already be solidified before Stevenson makes his decision.
Stevenson is slated to be the first big off the bench, but fellow sophomore Mo Dioubate and a talented trio of freshmen in Aiden Sherrell, Derrion Reid, and Naas Cunningham will supply high-level depth and versatility in the frontcourt.
Regardless of Stevenson’s final decision, his choice to go through the draft process as a one-and-done reclassified freshman only raises the cachet of Bama Hoops. The Tide has recruited and at times played like a blueblood basketball school under Coach Nate Oats, and this comes with the territory.