Home > Area Sports Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 16 > Entry
Reaction to Stepheson’s transfer from UNC
About 40 minutes ago, the worst-kept secret in the Triangle finally was made official. Alex Stepheson, a rising junior power forward for UNC, will transfer from the school in order to be closer to his family.
Why was this not shocking? Because Stepheson left the team midway through the season to be with his ill father, and it was unclear at one point whether or not he would be coming back.
Stepheson, a Los Angeles product, has been a reserve forward for the Tar Heels, backing up Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson this season. Not blessed with any offensive game, Stepheson did show some ability on the defensive end, especially when blocking shots.
Had he come back to UNC, his role likely would not have changed. In fact, his minutes may have decreased with five-star recruits Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis coming to Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels will miss his defensive focus to the game (an attitude shared by only one other teammate, Marcus Ginyard). This, coupled with Danny Green’s flirtation with the NBA and Mike Copeland’s knee surgery, means UNC could start next season with no experienced post players coming off the bench.
The next issue is where Stepheson transfers. UCLA would seem the most obvious destination, especially since the Bruins’ top three post players (Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Lorenzo Mata-Real) are all transferring. Stepheson could fill a void next season, when he becomes eligible.
Do not expect him to wind up at USC, the other L.A.-based program. With word coming out that O.J. Mayo received gifts while with the Trojans, the NCAA is probably going to start watching Tim Floyd’s program closely. Any top recruit would be wise to stay away, for now.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Colleges
Comments