Moon Tae-jong's second son Jarrin Stevenson (19, University of Alabama) failed to win the U.S. title in the semifinals. The University of Alabama, which Stevenson belongs to, failed to advance to the semifinals after losing 72-86 to Connecticut, the No. 1 seed in the East Division, at the "2024 NCAA Tournament Final Four" held at Glendale State Farm Stadium in Arizona on the 7th. 토토사이트 추천
In the other semifinals, Purdue, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest, beat North Carolina State University 63-50. The Connecticut vs. Purdue final will be held on Wednesday as the No. 1 seed fights.
Known as "Moon Tae-jong's son," first-year forward Stephenson came off the bench as Alabama's "Sixman" and played for 10 minutes. He failed to record a shot, recording two rebounds, one block shot, and one foul.
Jared Stevenson is an all-around forward who stands tall at 211 centimeters (208 centimeters in Korean style) and has drawn attention from the U.S. since his high school days. In an interview with a reporter in the U.S. when he was a high school student at Seaforth in 2022, he said, "I can see everything from guards to forwards. Just think of him as Kunbo."
Stephenson finished the freshman season with 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and a field goal rate of 41.8 percent. Notably, he scored 19 points and 5/8 three-pointers in the quarterfinals against Clemson, leading Alabama to the final for the first time in history. Will Stephenson announce his advance to the NBA.
After the NCAA Tournament, he contacted Moon Tae-jong. "I'm so proud of my son. But now is the beginning of his career," said Moon.
He asked if his son decided to join the NBA. "I haven't decided whether I should stay at school for another year or go straight to the NBA," Moon said.
In an interview with a reporter in 2022, Stevenson said, "I grew up watching my father play for the Korean national team. I want to play for Korea as well. Changing nationality is not a big deal," showing his attachment to the national flag.
In fact, former national team coach Choo Il-seung pushed for Stephenson's special naturalization. Ahn Joon-ho, the men's basketball coach who took over the baton, also said, "We are leaving open the possibility."
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's special naturalization requirements in the sports field, there is a condition that "a player who has won within the quarterfinals of the internationally prestigious athletic competition within the last three years." It can be seen that the requirements have been met as Stephenson succeeded in reaching the semifinals in the NCAA Tournament.
However, the definition of "authoritative sports competition" usually refers to international competitions such as the World Cup, the Olympics, and the World Championships. The key is how the ministry will interpret the NCAA Tournament, which features the best players in the U.S.
"My son's naturalization has not progressed yet. I'm waiting for a call from the basketball association," Moon said.