Will Jeremy Fears be the next great Michigan State leader at the point guard position?

East Lansing, Mich. – Leadership is a quality that Tom Izzo demands from point guards at Michigan State. And that attribute is hardwired into the DNA of freshman Jeremy Fears Jr., a 6-2, 190-pound McDonald’s All-American. So much so, that the Hall of Fame Coach of the Spartan uses Mateen Cleaves, the paragon of Izzo-era floor generals, as a frame of reference for the leadership potential of his freshman point guard.

“There’s been a couple of those guys that just have It,” said Izzo. “Not a lot of them. Jeremy Fears has It.”

Having arrived at Michigan State last May, Fears, like the program’s other freshmen, Xavier Booker, Coen Carr, and Gehrig Normand, is still getting acclimated to the demands of high major basketball. As such, it will take time for Fears to develop into a leader comparable to Cleaves, Travis Walton, and Tum Tum Nairn, three of the best point-guard leaders in Izzo’s 27-year tenure.

For now, Fears is content to lend his support to current team leaders, while leading his classmates as they prepare for the season. And when something needs to be said, Fears isn’t afraid to speak up, if he feels that it’s his place to do so.

“It’s definitely tough, and it’s something I asked former players,” Fears said. “How do you still be a leader with upper classmen being here and obviously having more experience? It’s just knowing how we all flow. Mostly, just keep leading. We have three other freshmen, so I can help them, and help some of the sophomores and still try and give pointers and tips to the upperclassmen on what I see.”

When dozens of former Michigan State players were back on campus for Grind Week last month, Fears sought out past program leaders for advice on how to be an effective leader as a freshman on a veteran team.

“Definitely, Travis (Walton), he really helped a lot, just going back through some of the stories from when he played here,” Fears said. “It was really big, so it was good listening to those, and seeing different ways that you can help.”

Fears credits his father Jeremy Fears Sr., who played guard at Ohio University before finishing his collegiate career at Bradley, for pushing him to be a vocal leader early in his basketball journey.

“I’ve always been a leader since I was young,” Fears said. “It has really always been easy helping others whether it’s on or off the court, it’s something I’ve always kind of carried with me.”

What can Fears give Michigan State as a freshman?

Fears averaged 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game during his senior season at Joliet (IL) West. For his efforts, Fears was selected Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year in the state of Illinois, joining Max Christie (2021) and Shannon Brown (2003) as the only Spartans to have won the award since its inception in 1960.  

Unlike Christie whose lack physical strength was a detriment during his lone season at Michigan State, Fears has a college-ready body after adding 15 good pounds during the off-season. At 6-2, 190, Fears has the strength to compete against older bodies.

“I came in kind of small at 175, but now I’m a good 190,” Fears said. “I feel good. I feel stronger. I feel like there is much more flow and pace to my game. The summer was big for me.”

Michigan State has a crowded backcourt with AJ Hoggard, Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins, and Tre Holloman all back this season. So, it remains to be seen how many minutes per game will be earmarked for Fears.

Throughout the Izzo era, there have been numerous examples of talented first-year point guards playing between 15 and 25 minutes per game coming off the bench behind an established veteran to start the season. That was true for Cassius Winston, Tum Tum Nairn, Travis Trice, Travis Walton, Drew Neitzel, and Kalin Lucas among others. Many of those players moved into starting roles as freshmen after gaining experience in back-up roles early on as first-year players. Lucas, Nairn, and Neitzel started NCAA Tournament games freshmen, with Nairn and Neitzel both getting starting assignments in the Final Four as first-year players.  

Given past precedent, its seems likely that Fears will start the season in a back-up role playing 15 minutes or more per game. There is little question that he will be up to the task of running the team. And If Fears shows himself to be a capable defender and also demonstrates the ability to knock down open jumpers, his role is likely to increase as the season progresses.

“At the end of the day, you’re gonna see Jeremy grow and grow,” Izzo said. “And in the meantime, he’s going to still help us. We always think we know what’s going on until all of a sudden somebody gets hurt; there’s somebody beats somebody out. If there’s one thing that I will say that I have learned this year, competition is good, but it’s really good in the summer and the fall. We’ll see how it gets in the winter.”

Effort on defense is non-negotiable in the competition for backcourt minutes. Hoggard, Walker, and Akins are strong defenders at the guard position. The same is true for Holloman. As such, Fears will be pushed to play winning defense this season. With better-than-advertised athleticism and improved strength, there is no reason Fears should not be up to the task on defense.

The perimeter jumper is the biggest question mark for Fears entering his first year at Michigan State. He has worked hard to gain greater consistency with his jumper. And during the summer facing zero defensive resistance at the Moneyball Pro-Am, Fears showed improved form as a shooter. It remains to be seen whether he can replicate that success against real defense. Fears is slippery, strong, and crafty enough to score in a variety of ways in the paint. To get the most out of that part of his game, Fears needs to shoot it well to enough to keep defenders honest.

Taking ownership of ’23 recruiting class

Fears, by his own estimation, is ahead of the learning curve in comparison to his classmates. As such, he has taken it upon himself to bring Booker, Carr, and Normand along with him.

“I feel like I pick things up a little bit quicker,” said Fears, “so just being able to show and help everybody else is big, especially the freshmen. We all sometimes get lost out there, not really knowing what to do or where to go, so really just helping them, and trying to be another coach.”

Both McDonald’s All-Americans, Fears and Booker are both from the Midwest, both ran with Indiana-based grassroots teams, and also developed a strong bond during the recruiting process. Now roommates, the bond between Fears and Booker is even stronger. For his part, Fears has taken it upon himself to help Booker through his transition to high-major basketball.

“Sometimes I am able to help him and put him in spots to be successful,” Fears said. “That’s also my roommate too, and that’s been really good. We talk both on and off the court and I am building a really great bond with him.”

Fears is the guy that each freshman is comfortable turning to if they need extra help. As the ringleader of his class, he is also the one that can change the vibe of the entire group with his positive energy.

“He’s a real leader, and we figured that out quick,” Normand said. “He’s got that Mateen Cleaves to him. When we see Mateen Cleaves here he is always talking us up. Just enjoying time together. That’s what (Fears) does. He really pours into his teammates. He is a great leader for us freshmen and most of the team for sure.”

Making the transition from high school to college is not easy, so having someone in their own recruiting class to help them along is welcomed by the program’s other freshmen.

“He is there for all of us, and pushes us to the next level,” Normand said. “He is doing whatever it takes to make us better. That’s what is so good about him, he pushes his teammates to be better.”

Embracing the Experience

Fears has goals for himself just like every other member of his recruiting class even if he is freer in vocalizing those goals than Booker, Carr, or Normand. That is just part of who Fears is. He is confident, outspoken, and is not afraid to dream big to borrow one of Izzo’s favorite mantras.

“Expectations for me, hopefully to get Big Ten Freshman of the Year, get one of the defensive teams, and win a national championship, win a Big Ten Championship,” Fears said. “And just being able to help my teammates any way that I can.”

While winning individual accolades as a freshman would make him happy, Fears says his primary focus is enjoying the experience of playing college basketball.

“This is something I’ve never done before,” Fears said. “So, just being able to during my freshman year have a great experience, and experience college basketball.”

Fears played great competition at the high school level during senior season at Joliet West High School, and two years before that at Indiana prep school powerhouse La Lumiere. He also faced outstanding competition in NIKE Elite Youth Basketball League playing up a grade level for Bradley Beal Elite on a team headlined by current Charlotte Hornet rookies Nick Smith and Brandon Miller. Fears then closed out his grassroot career with another EYBL program in Indy Heat Gym Rats. He also played against international competition as a member of Team USA.

Even with that background, Fears was not fully prepared for the speed of the game at Michigan State.

“What kind of surprised me was definitely the competition, the game speed, and the level of basketball,” Fears said. “You can’t really prepare or just get ready for college basketball. Just getting here and experiencing it in the summer was great for me.”

With the regular season approaching rapidly, the game is about to get even faster.

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