The Oklahoma Sooners recognized that Jeremiah Fears would be a great addition to their program, and so far he has exceeded expectations. The 6’4″ guard out of Joliet, Illinois has been nothing short of spectacular, as he has surprised many and already made a name for himself in college basketball.
The best part about it is – he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma early.
Fears initially committed to play for Head Coach Brad Underwood and Illinois last January and was part of the Class of 2025. However, he decided to de-commit from Illinois on July 1, reopening his recruitment.
He then reclassified up to the Class of 2024 and committed to Oklahoma, enrolling there as a freshman last August.
The development of Jeremiah Fears throughout high school was remarkable. He earned a spot in the high school basketball player rankings on 247Sports and ESPN. Jeremiah played a couple of years at Joliet West High School, including one year alongside his brother and Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears. He then transferred to Arizona Compass Prep, where he had a successful season before reclassifying and deciding to become a sooner.
Fears was playing in the Peach Jam just six months ago, and now he is averaging 16 points per game as a freshman for the Oklahoma Sooners.
He made an immediate impact at Oklahoma, contributing significantly to the team’s 13-0 start. He averaged 16.5 points per game during this period, helping the team break into the AP Top 25 College Basketball Rankings in Week 5.
Earlier this season, during the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, Jeremiah Fears averaged 18.6 points per game, including a standout 26-point game versus Arizona, who was a Top 25 team at the time. Additionally, he scored 30 points along with a game-winning four-point play that secured a victory over formerly Top-25 ranked Michigan in the Jumpman Invitational.
Jeremiah Fears is now projected to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft as a reclassified guard. That says a lot considering that this year’s freshman class is filled with talented players, many of whom are also projected to be first-round draft picks in various NBA mock drafts.
Jeremiah Fears has a bright future ahead of him if he continues to be the impactful player he’s been for Oklahoma.
Photo Creds: Oklahoma Men’s Basketball Website https://soonersports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jeremiah-fears/18548
Sources:
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/5144091/jeremiah-fears
https://247sports.com/player/jeremiah-fears-46125648/#timeline
https://msuspartans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jeremy-fears-jr-/15546
