Michael Malone wants more from Jarin Stevenson, and UNC’s senior forward welcomes the challenge. Stevenson says Malone’s fiery coaching style is pushing him to become more aggressive as Carolina begins a new era.
Michael Malone has made no secret about what he wants from Jarin Stevenson.
More.
More aggression. More confidence. More emotion. More willingness to impose himself on a game.
And Stevenson appears perfectly comfortable with his new head coach pushing those buttons.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, September 24, following North Carolina’s first week of official practice, Stevenson discussed the early impact Malone has made as the Tar Heels prepare for their first season together.
“He can be fiery sometimes,” Stevenson said. “He always encourages me, wants me to be more aggressive.”
For Stevenson, that coaching style could be exactly what is needed at this stage of his career.
There has never been much question about the 6-foot-10 forward’s talent or versatility. Stevenson has already played three seasons of high-major basketball, two at Alabama and one at North Carolina, and has appeared in 107 career games. He enters his senior year with 661 career points and 89 made three-pointers.
What has sometimes been missing is consistent assertiveness.
Malone seemingly identified that immediately.
Earlier this preseason, the new UNC coach described Stevenson’s ability to play multiple positions as his “superpower.” Malone also revealed that returning assistant coaches Sean May and Pat Sullivan have told him Stevenson is doing things this offseason they hadn’t previously seen from him.
That’s an intriguing development for Carolina.
Stevenson doesn’t necessarily need to become a dramatically different basketball player. The ingredients already exist. He can defend all over the floor. He has shooting range. He can rebound. His size and mobility create matchup possibilities on both ends.
Instead, Malone seems intent on changing the way Stevenson accesses those abilities.
Play harder. Attack more decisively. Communicate. Be aggressive.
And Stevenson said Malone’s personality can sometimes help produce that response.
Even getting angry from time to time, Stevenson explained, can help bring out his competitive side. He spoke about finding different sources of motivation, including his family, Carolina, and the name across his chest, that give him a reason to play with greater intensity.
That connection between player and coach could be especially important because of Stevenson’s role on this particular roster.
North Carolina has 11 newcomers on its 16-player roster, leaving Stevenson as the lone returning starter. His familiarity with the program makes him one of the obvious bridges between what Carolina has been and what Malone hopes it will become.
In many ways, Stevenson also represents Malone’s broader vision for the Tar Heels.
Malone wants Carolina to defend, rebound and turn those stops into opportunities to play quickly. Stevenson’s ability to guard multiple positions and function in multiple lineup configurations makes him particularly valuable in that system. UNC’s first official practice also emphasized playing with pace, dominating the glass and building consistent defensive habits.
But versatility only matters if it is deployed aggressively.
That seems to be the next step.
Malone is pushing. Stevenson is responding.
And if that relationship unlocks the most confident version of Jarin Stevenson yet, Carolina could have considerably more than merely a dependable returning starter.
It could have one of the most important pieces of Malone’s first UNC team.
