Jarin Stevenson didn’t watch a ton of college basketball growing up. But growing up in Chapel Hill, N.C., 10 minutes from the University of North Carolina’s campus, the Alabama forward felt the presence of one of the sport’s storied programs.

“There’s a lot of fans around there,” Stevenson said Wednesday. “A lot of my friends are also UNC fans. I felt like it was a big deal then.”

Stevenson’s parents were both basketball players, and his mother played at North Carolina. Nicole (Walker) Stevenson was with the Tar Heels from 1995-98, winning three ACC championships in Chapel Hill.

He spent much of his childhood in South Korea, where his father was playing professionally, but moved back to North Carolina for high school.

Coming out of Seaforth in Pittsboro, N.C., as part of the 2023 class, Stevenson said the Tar Heels were the first team to offer him. However, he instead opted to join up with Nate Oats and Alabama, a decision he said Wednesday was difficult.

“I love the school for sure,” Stevenson said. “Carolina is a great school. Just getting to know the players, the coaches, see the facilities, it’s a great school for sure. It was a hard decision.”

Fast-forward to the end of Stevenson’s freshman season, and he’s close to experiencing what he said will be a “full-circle moment.” Alabama will face North Carolina Thursday in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

The fourth-seeded Crimson Tide will be looking for an upset against No. 1 UNC. Stevenson could play a big role, with Tar Hell forward Armando Bacot a major point of defensive emphasis for Alabama.

“I was just focused on one game at a time,” Stevenson said. “I saw down the line that it could happen and now that it is happening, I’m excited for it for real. Surreal, again, just 10 minutes away from the campus, so it’s kind of cool.”

Alabama and North Carolina will tip off after the Arizona-Clemson game Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. It will likely begin around 8:30 p.m. CT, and will be aired on CBS.