University of Alabama basketball forward Jalin Stevenson has made a decision regarding his future.
According to information obtained by the Tuscaloosa News, Stevenson, who was a freshman with the Crimson Tide last season, will return for his sophomore season with the Crimson Tide. He opted out before the NBA Draft deadline, joining senior Mark Sears in making that decision.
Stevenson reclassified to the 2023 class so he could play for Alabama in the 2023-24 season. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina native has since played in all 37 games, starting five. In the process, he recorded 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game, but his biggest impact came in the Elite Eight game against Clemson, which led Alabama to its first Final Four in program history. He scored 19 points and was a problem for the Tigers on three-pointers, making five of his eight attempts (62.5%) in that game and also making two blocked shots.
“Jalin, his shooting, he played the best performance of his season in the biggest game of his life, made big shot after big shot, made tough play after tough play,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said after the win over Clemson. “He grew tonight. His shooting, 19 points on 11 shots is pretty efficient basketball. I'm very proud of Jalin.”
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Alabama's 2023-24 roster features Stevenson, Sears, Grant Nelson, Latrell Lightsell Jr. and Mo Diubate as returnees. Meanwhile, Oats and the team have added several players. The head of the newcomers is Rutgers big man Cliff Omoruyi, who will give Alabama a rim protector that they lacked last season. Transfers include Houston Mallett (Pepperdine University), Chris Youngblood (USF) and Aiden Holloway (Auburn University). Alabama also added freshmen Derrion Reed, Aiden Sherrell, Nurse Cunningham and LaBaron Philon.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, a USA TODAY Network company, covering Alabama football and men's basketball. Contact him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter: Nick Kelly The social media app X, formerly known as Twitter.
