NCAA Basketball: Top 10 remaining 2023 offseason battles to watch

6. Jarin Stevenson

Recruiting battle: Alabama vs North Carolina

I didn’t intend to include class of 2024 prospects for this article because it’s supposed to be about players impacting next season. However, Stevenson is a unique case, as he’s openly considering reclassifying to play for 2023-24. He has a decision coming in the next couple of days on both his future NCAA Basketball program and what class he’ll be part of.

Stevenson is a 6’10 power forward and is currently ranked as a top-20 prospect. He’s a skilled frontcourt player that can shoot both inside and out and has a tremendous offensive game. Several programs have been interested in him, with Duke, Georgetown, Missouri, and Virginia being in the mix.

However, two teams that stood out are UNC and Alabama, each of whom has had visits as of late. Stevenson is from the state of North Carolina and they’re a team that doesn’t have a true power forward. Louisville transfer Jae’lyn Withers is the projected starter but there’s a chance that this prospect could outplay him. And Bama only has Nick Pringle as the lone returning frontcourt player on its roster.

That being said, the Crimson Tide are also after two other names on this list coming up later. If they pick the SEC program, Stevenson may not find them as appealing. It’s an interesting battle where like Johnson and Wilcher, could be an impactful addition to a team needing more depth.