University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
November 11, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Jarin Stevenson had a visit from a special friend for Tuesday's win.
By Adam Lucas
After the first three games of the 2026-27 basketball season, Jarin Stevenson is shooting 1-for-9 from three-point range. A 74 percent shooter from the free throw line last year, he's at just 50 percent on 12 attempts this year. Like everyone else on the Carolina roster, he'd like to nudge his rebounding numbers a little higher; he averaged over four boards per game last year and sits at just 2.7 rebounds per game this year. Carolina is 3-0 after Tuesday's win over Wyoming, but Stevenson knows he can contribute more.
Six-year-old Julius Rosa doesn't care at all about the very tiny three-game sample size. He has a much more important comparison for his good buddy, Stevenson.
"I think Jarin is like Spider-Man," Julius says. "Because he's good with his hands."
Jarin and Julius met during a Tar Heel visit to the North Carolina Children's Hospital for the Montross Day of Service. Julius was undergoing the first round of his treatment for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is the most common childhood cancer, and it is treatable, but it's a long and difficult path that absorbs nearly three years.
On that day, though, it struck Stevenson that Julius didn't seem worried about all the treatment still in his future, about the needles and the chemotherapy and the hospital stays. The six-year-old just seemed happy to have some very tall guests, and he quickly adopted Stevenson as his test subject for demonstrating how to stick the ever-present electrodes to his skin.
"The number-one thing student-athletes bring when they come to the clinic is joy and a sort of magic," says Dr. Patrick Thompson, a pediatric oncologist at the Children's Hospital. "Think about it. Jarin Stevenson is 6-foot-10. As adults, when we look at him, he's 6-foot-10 and he's almost like a superhero even to us. Imagine what it's like for a little guy to look at him. When young kids interact with these big giants of a human being, it's like a real life superhero. It's this big, tall, athletic guy who towers over you but he has this warm and gentle smile. And I've always felt that developmentally, children recognize that athletes who visit are different. They aren't the doctors or nurses or moms or dads. They're big kids, and they connect with the patients in a really special way."
And that initial visit could have been it. But Stevenson made the effort to stay in touch with Julius. They've exchanged videos via text.
"It was a pleasure getting to meet you and your family," the Tar Heel said in the first video he sent. "The team and I are wishing you the best. Remember you are strong, you are tough, and keep smiling. I already miss your smile. Think positive—you've got this!"
Carolina's stretch of six straight home games happened to fall during a window of Julius's treatment. He had a challenging September and has several treatments remaining, but in this portion of November, he had some days without immune system concerns. So why not stop by the Smith Center and see his buddy Jarin?
Julius arrived early enough to sit near the floor during early pregame warmups, which gave him the opportunity to present Stevenson with a homemade bracelet that included basketball charms, "Jarin 15" and "Keep Smiling!"
"What does it say?" Julius said as he pointed to the engraved addition to the bracelet.
"Whenever you doubt your progress," Jarin read from the silver tag, "just remember how far you've come. Every shot, every hustle, every practice has made you stronger. KEEP PUSHING."
"That's a good message," Stevenson said with a grin. "I like that."
Julius still has multiple weeklong hospital stays in his near future. It's possible that he might have to spend parts of Thanksgiving and/or Christmas in the hospital, although his doctors will attempt to schedule around the holidays. Cancer is not particularly concerned with the calendar, even for kids.
Julius has treatment and Jarin has plenty of travel in his December plans. So they'll keep sending each other videos, and Stevenson is quick to provide you with the scouting report he's learned about his newest friend.
"He's already told me he is the fastest in his class," Jarin says. "And Julius has a huge imagination, incredible toughness and great strength.
"I'm so grateful for having met Julius and his family. They've been great to me. And I want to do whatever I can to be a positive impact in his life."
There are shooting percentages and rebounding averages and points per game, and all of those can fluctuate over the course of a season. But after three games, the only irrefutable outcome we really know is that Jarin Stevenson made a six-year-old giggle and allowed him to be a kid instead of a cancer patient for one fun night in Chapel Hill.
And so, yes, maybe he is a superhero.
After the first three games of the 2026-27 basketball season, Jarin Stevenson is shooting 1-for-9 from three-point range. A 74 percent shooter from the free throw line last year, he's at just 50 percent on 12 attempts this year. Like everyone else on the Carolina roster, he'd like to nudge his rebounding numbers a little higher; he averaged over four boards per game last year and sits at just 2.7 rebounds per game this year. Carolina is 3-0 after Tuesday's win over Wyoming, but Stevenson knows he can contribute more.
Six-year-old Julius Rosa doesn't care at all about the very tiny three-game sample size. He has a much more important comparison for his good buddy, Stevenson.
"I think Jarin is like Spider-Man," Julius says. "Because he's good with his hands."
Jarin and Julius met during a Tar Heel visit to the North Carolina Children's Hospital for the Montross Day of Service. Julius was undergoing the first round of his treatment for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is the most common childhood cancer, and it is treatable, but it's a long and difficult path that absorbs nearly three years.
On that day, though, it struck Stevenson that Julius didn't seem worried about all the treatment still in his future, about the needles and the chemotherapy and the hospital stays. The six-year-old just seemed happy to have some very tall guests, and he quickly adopted Stevenson as his test subject for demonstrating how to stick the ever-present electrodes to his skin.
"The number-one thing student-athletes bring when they come to the clinic is joy and a sort of magic," says Dr. Patrick Thompson, a pediatric oncologist at the Children's Hospital. "Think about it. Jarin Stevenson is 6-foot-10. As adults, when we look at him, he's 6-foot-10 and he's almost like a superhero even to us. Imagine what it's like for a little guy to look at him. When young kids interact with these big giants of a human being, it's like a real life superhero. It's this big, tall, athletic guy who towers over you but he has this warm and gentle smile. And I've always felt that developmentally, children recognize that athletes who visit are different. They aren't the doctors or nurses or moms or dads. They're big kids, and they connect with the patients in a really special way."
And that initial visit could have been it. But Stevenson made the effort to stay in touch with Julius. They've exchanged videos via text.
"It was a pleasure getting to meet you and your family," the Tar Heel said in the first video he sent. "The team and I are wishing you the best. Remember you are strong, you are tough, and keep smiling. I already miss your smile. Think positive—you've got this!"
Carolina's stretch of six straight home games happened to fall during a window of Julius's treatment. He had a challenging September and has several treatments remaining, but in this portion of November, he had some days without immune system concerns. So why not stop by the Smith Center and see his buddy Jarin?
Julius arrived early enough to sit near the floor during early pregame warmups, which gave him the opportunity to present Stevenson with a homemade bracelet that included basketball charms, "Jarin 15" and "Keep Smiling!"
"What does it say?" Julius said as he pointed to the engraved addition to the bracelet.
"Whenever you doubt your progress," Jarin read from the silver tag, "just remember how far you've come. Every shot, every hustle, every practice has made you stronger. KEEP PUSHING."
"That's a good message," Stevenson said with a grin. "I like that."
Julius still has multiple weeklong hospital stays in his near future. It's possible that he might have to spend parts of Thanksgiving and/or Christmas in the hospital, although his doctors will attempt to schedule around the holidays. Cancer is not particularly concerned with the calendar, even for kids.
Julius has treatment and Jarin has plenty of travel in his December plans. So they'll keep sending each other videos, and Stevenson is quick to provide you with the scouting report he's learned about his newest friend.
"He's already told me he is the fastest in his class," Jarin says. "And Julius has a huge imagination, incredible toughness and great strength.
"I'm so grateful for having met Julius and his family. They've been great to me. And I want to do whatever I can to be a positive impact in his life."
There are shooting percentages and rebounding averages and points per game, and all of those can fluctuate over the course of a season. But after three games, the only irrefutable outcome we really know is that Jarin Stevenson made a six-year-old giggle and allowed him to be a kid instead of a cancer patient for one fun night in Chapel Hill.
And so, yes, maybe he is a superhero.
Players Mentioned
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