Jeremiah Fears
Guard
Young lead guard with dribble-pass-shoot upside
Jeremiah Fears, standing at 6’3″, emerged as the leader of a top-40 offense despite his freshman status. Fears, only 18, took on a significant usage rate over 30% on a team competing in one of the nation’s most challenging conferences. Fears’ nimble handle allows him to create advantages at will and get downhill with the ball. Fears’ ability to adapt to the tough competition while taking on primary ballhandler duties displays mental fortitude as a strength.
Offensive Creation: Beyond Elusiveness
Fears’ elusiveness with the ball is amplified by his functional strength – equally capable generating paint touches as free throw attempts. His strength, displayed through constant subtle shoulder bumps and body control, gives him additional separation, especially when driving through traffic. He can absorb contact while staying on balance, using that physicality to get advantageous positions to set up himself or his teammates. This makes him a multifaceted offensive threat, capable of both evading and overpowering his opponents despite his shorter stature.
Fears has the potential to be a real contributor on the defensive end. He might not be an Alex Caruso on D, but he’s definitely not a liability either.
In his first year at Oklahoma, Fears showed flashes of being a play-maker on defense. He actually led his team in “stocks” (steals and blocks combined) for the season, which tells you he’s got active hands and good anticipation. He can really disrupt things and turn defense into offense. Now, he’s not perfect. Sometimes he gets caught “ball-watching” or out of position, which can be frustrating. But when he’s locked in, he’s great at staying in front of his man and forcing turnovers.
What really stands out to me is his quick hands. He’s so good at stripping the ball, deflecting passes, and just messing with offensive plays. And even when he’s not directly guarding the ball, he’s always looking to make a play, almost like a defensive back in football. He’s constantly trying to “make something happen” on defense. Given what he’s shown, I think Fears could definitely become a neutral defender. That would make him a really valuable player all around.
Larry Golden