# UNC's Stepheson transfers to USC



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3399671

Didn't we see this coming?


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



> North Carolina forward Alex Stepheson is transferring because he wants to be closer to his family in California.


Sure...


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

is he from San Fran?


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

I wish he'd stay...


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Why?


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Well...

I'm pretty resistant to change so he's just messing up my whole flow. Simple as that :biggrin:


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

They have some young bigs coming in, his minutes would have been very shaky


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

"shaky" = non-existent

Thompson on the other hand... shaky would be a good way to put it


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

They do have two highly regarded power forwards coming in, but I think Thompson's playing time is safe. As for Stephenson, he's an L.A. native. Any thoughts where he'll end up?


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Ya, for the first 2 months, only because that's how Roy works (nothing wrong with that). Bets on how long til Ed Davis takes his spot? I've heard guys consider Davis one of the top 10 players in the ACC already.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

The freshmen will both play some minutes. But you don't bench an already productive upperclassman for a freshman just on reputation: the freshmen are going to have to earn it. They might, but even if they do, Thompson will continue to play. And until then, Thompson will start.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

2 months. tops.

UNC fans (HB)?


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Yeah I dont think Roy will disrespect Thompson like that. Thompson is a pretty good player, he just fouls too much. Roy wont insert a freshman into the starting lineup over Dijon


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

are you guys reading any of this? *2 months in*. you really think Thompson starts all season long??? So Davis is the next Marvin Williams - 6th man?

And what about Stephenson to Stanford?  UNC fans have been speculating. I know Dawkins wouldn't hold a kid's past poor decision against him. :biggrin:


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Thompson would start for 80% of the college teams in the nation. I find it hard to believe that Davis is going to be a better player than him this year.

Will Stephenson's sexuality scare some teams away? Team chemistry is a big issue


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Let's keep in mind that Marvin Williams didn't start; Sean May and Jawad Williams both started over him. Coach Williams will at least--at least--give Thompson a chance to hold on to his spot.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



luther said:


> Let's keep in mind that Marvin Williams didn't start; Sean May and Jawad Williams both started over him.


...



TM said:


> So Davis is the next Marvin Williams - *6th man*?





HB said:


> Thompson would start for 80% of the college teams in the nation.


I know you just threw a number out there, but if he's only good enough to start for 80% of the teams, then Davis and Zeller both have a chance to take his spot.



HB said:


> Will Stephenson's sexuality scare some teams away? Team chemistry is a big issue


Stanford just lost its two main big men. I doubt that'll matter... I wonder if his grades are good enough.

All I'm saying is that SOMEONE will either lose minutes or not get as many minutes as they'd like. Have people taken a minute to see how many F's they have playing for them???


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



HB said:


> Thompson would start for 80% of the college teams in the nation. I find it hard to believe that Davis is going to be a better player than him this year.
> 
> *Will Stephenson's sexuality scare some teams away?* Team chemistry is a big issue


Is he gay? I didn't know that.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Bi-sexual


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Was it not made into a big story, or did I somehow just totally miss that? Seems the media usually goes nuts over coming-out stories. Anyway, if that's the case I'd think somewhere like Stanford might be a good place for him, where the general community is relatively tolerant.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

We have some pretty good investigators on here. Without them I'd never know either


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Oh, okay--so it wasn't broken in the news or anything. I was wondering, having seen more than a small handful of UNC games this year, how I could've not noticed what would have doubtlessly been a bazillion halftime or pregame specials about pioneering in the testosterone-fueled sports world blah blah blah. (We got a ton of those stories when former MN Viking Esera Tuaolo came out, and even some when former Gopher Zach Puchtel came out.)


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



HB said:


> We have some *pretty good investigators* on here. Without them I'd never know either


:biggrin:

...

:|


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



luther said:


> Let's keep in mind that Marvin Williams didn't start; Sean May and Jawad Williams both started over him. Coach Williams will at least--at least--give Thompson a chance to hold on to his spot.


yeah but jawad willians and sean may were both better than him(at that point in time at the college level) so he shouldn't have started.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Jawad shouldnt have started over Marvin. He played like crap for an extended period of time that season


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



rocketeer said:


> yeah but jawad willians and sean may were both better than him(at that point in time at the college level) so he shouldn't have started.


Yes, they were arguably better. And that's my entire point (horse-beaten-dead on everyone's point, actually) here. Just because there are highly touted recruits, even if they have brighter futures, doesn't mean they're going to unseat the incumbent, and especially not immediately. TM has said he thinks Thompson goes to the bench within two months. I have no predictions. Just saying it isn't an assumed thing that big-name recruits come in and take over.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



HB said:


> Jawad shouldnt have started over Marvin. He played like crap for an extended period of time that season


and still finished with numbers equal or better than marvin.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



rocketeer said:


> and still finished with numbers equal or better than marvin.


Which should tell you something when a freshman is able to put up similar numbers to a senior in his first year of college ball.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



luther said:


> And that's my entire point (horse-beaten-dead on everyone's point, actually) here.


See if you can say it another way, just one more time :biggrin:

Thompson averaged around 8 and 5 last season. You'd have to think that all of those PF's #'s are gonna go down. Just think what's gonna happen in '09-'10!

HB, do you know if Davis and the other 2 guys are starting school this summer? The only thing I see that could possibly prevent Davis from not getting as much PT as I'm predicting is if he doesn't get bigger. That seems to be the biggest "knock" on him.

Anyway, I'm not trying to say "I'm right, you're all wrong" with this. I actually really liked Thompson last year and thought he did a very nice job complementing Hansbrough. It's just that a lot of the reports I read (McDonalds, Hoop Summit) were really talking him up. He rebounds, has great length, and is a decent passer - he just sounds a lot like Thompson only better skilled. I know none of you are arguing that Thompson has more skills, just that Thompson is the proven, upperclassman. Haha... watch... Zeller will come in and steal both their spots. :biggrin:


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Davis did look promising when I saw him in All-Star games and the Hoop Summit. I just try not to get too excited about guys ahead of time. Too many disappointments when you put extra expectations on young guys.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



TM said:


> See if you can say it another way, just one more time :biggrin:
> 
> Thompson averaged around 8 and 5 last season. You'd have to think that all of those PF's #'s are gonna go down. Just think what's gonna happen in '09-'10!
> 
> ...


No idea. I think bball223 is more qualified to answer that.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

This was the worst kept secret in Chapel Hill. Why he didn't transfer after his freshman year, I'll never know. Transfer to a Pac-10 school.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

didn't roy ask him to stay last year? there was rumor of him leaving last summer too, i believe.


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## BlueBaron (May 11, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

TM, you got that pic how???


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

you sent it to me, remember? you said something about "me and well-known basketball player." i didn't know what was going on at the time.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



HB said:


> No idea. I think bball223 is more qualified to answer that.


Yeah I believe Zeller and Davis will both be there come the end of June, in fact most every scholarship basketball player does that. They will be lifting, working out, and scrimmaging with the team. I expect Davis to make an impact next year not as sold on Zeller.


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



bball2223 said:


> Yeah I believe Zeller and Davis will both be there come the end of June, in fact most every scholarship basketball player does that. They will be lifting, working out, and scrimmaging with the team. I expect Davis to make an impact next year not as sold on Zeller.


Any word on where Stepheson's going?


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



zagsfan20 said:


> Any word on where Stepheson's going?


On May 22, Andy Katz of ESPN wrote: "Former North Carolina Tar Heel Alex Stepheson, who transferred to be closer to his family, is likely going to end up in the Pac-10, with member schools pursuing him, notably UCLA and Oregon State."


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Doubt it would happen, but that would be a huge get for Craig Robinson at Oregon St.


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## The Jopker (Sep 14, 2005)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

I've heard that he may be looking to transfer into an LA area school as that would give him the best chance at receiving a hardship waiver.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



zagsfan20 said:


> Any word on where Stepheson's going?


I have heard UCLA, UNLV, Cal, USC, and a couple other west coast schools. He hasn't decided as of yet to my knowledge, but I am double checking it as we speak.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

From what I have gathered it looks like a USC/UCLA battle. UCLA has the most smoke around it so I think that will be the destination. I'm not 100% sure though so take that with a grain of salt.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

I wish Dawkins would go after the kid


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*

Headed to USC

Thoughts on how he'll fit in there?


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

*Re: UNC's Stepheson transfers*



TM said:


> Headed to USC
> 
> Thoughts on how he'll fit in there?


Remains to be seen. He will add a rebounding and defensive presence inside.


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## thatsnotgross (Dec 4, 2006)

Dawkins can't go after any transfers. Why? Stanford doesn't take transfer students, academic or athletes.


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