Jamerson’s Journey: From Sweeping Floors to Showcasing Talent

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Before Stephen Jamerson II donned a UCLA jersey with plans to contribute to his new team, he found himself mopping the floors at Michigan State University’s basketball arena.

On a particularly rainy day, water started seeping into the Breslin Center. Back then, Jamerson was just a freshman at Michigan State, armed with a squeegee mop, doing his part to keep the place clean.

This was part of his backup plan to join the Spartans’ basketball program. Initially, he had his heart set on trying out for the team but was told that there wouldn’t be any tryouts available. So, he opted to apply as a team manager, which ultimately landed him in this spot, cleaning up.

Unfortunately, Jamerson was unable to secure the position; he went 0-for-2.

“It was definitely disappointing,” Jamerson, now a backup center for the Bruins, shared. “I felt sad, maybe even a bit depressed. But, on the bright side, being in an actual university was fun.”

This Tuesday, he will step back into the very place he once hoped would be his basketball home, as the Bruins (17-8, 9-5 Big Ten) face off against the 10th-ranked Spartans (20-5, 10-4).

“It’s absolutely going to feel like a full-circle moment,” he continued. “My main goal is to show that I deserve to be at this level. I want to prove to the coaches and myself, as well as everyone who supports me, that I can work hard and excel at the Power Four level.”

Regardless of the outcome, this game will represent a journey filled with unexpected twists.

After leaving Michigan State, Jamerson spent three seasons at the University of San Diego before transferring to UCLA last spring, aiming to demonstrate his capabilities in the Big Ten during his final college season.

Bruins coach Mick Cronin took interest in Jamerson after looking him up in the transfer portal, reaching out to his friend Randy Bennett, the coach at St. Mary’s. Bennett mentioned that Jamerson was one of the most underrated big men on the West Coast.

“He’s an incredible addition to our team,” Cronin remarked before the season began.

This season, Jamerson has made contributions with defensive and rebounding efforts while backing up center Xavier Booker, averaging 2.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in about 11.5 minutes per game. His toughness was on display during a recent game against Michigan where he made a strong putback, although he faced foul trouble and only played 16 minutes.

“I think we need to step it up, you know?” he commented earlier this month. “I can be pretty tough on myself, and so can the rest of the team. We all want to be the best players and coaches we can possibly be, so there’s definitely room for improvement.”

For Jamerson, who graduated from Encino Crespi High School and once thought he would pursue baseball, returning to UCLA feels like coming home. A shoulder injury had cut his pitching career short, forcing him to switch sports altogether.

He initially chose Michigan State partly because a close high school friend from Michigan wanted to go there. Even after not making the Spartans’ basketball program, his commitment to the team remained intact.

He attended games at Breslin Center, sat in the lower bowl, fully geared up for the intensity of Big Ten basketball.

“It’s about physicality and defense,” Jamerson observed. “That’s the key to making it at that level.”

Having stayed connected with Michigan State, he’d return every spring break to visit friends, once even bumping into Booker during his last season with the Spartans. When both decided to join UCLA last spring, he surprised his new teammates by mentioning 1855 Place, a student housing complex in East Lansing.

“He was like, ‘How do you know that?'” Jamerson recalled. “I was like, ‘Brother, I was there once.'”

As he returns this Tuesday to familiar territory, he is eager to showcase the growth he’s experienced along the way.