Jeremy Fears Jr. will test the NBA Draft waters, he announced Friday afternoon on Instagram.
Fears, who finished his redshirt sophomore season averaging 15.2 points per game to lead Michigan State and 9.4 assists per game to lead the country, declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He is ranked among the top 100 prospects in this year’s prospect pool. If Fears chooses to stay in college he must withdraw before midnight May 27.
“After speaking with my family, coaches and representatives, I’m excited to announce that I will be declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility,” Fears posted in an Instagram graphic. “This is an important step in my journey and I’m looking forward to learning, growing, and competing against the best as I continue to develop my game. I’m grateful for Coach (Tom) Izzo, the Michigan State staff, my teammates and my family for their continued support and belief in me.”
In a record-setting season that saw him earn All-American and All-Big Ten honors while being a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard, Fears broke Michigan State’s single-season assists record and proved to be the Spartans’ best source of offense on a night-to-night basis.
And yet, Fears also had his share of drama this season, with two kicks between the legs on Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds and Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau earning him the scorn of detractors and even a tongue-lashing from his own coach Tom Izzo. What no one could deny, though, was Fears’ importance to this Michigan State team.
For all that Fears lacked finesse as a shooter, going 35-for-109 from 3-point range on the season, his mid-range game and ability to push the pace in transition opened up his own scoring while his pass-first playmaking fed teammates for open shots. His 328 assists this season blew out the previous MSU record held by Cassius Winston, and rank second all-time in Big Ten play behind only Purdue’s Braden Smith’s 345 this season.
Fears was the heartbeat of Michigan State all season, and it was no coincidence that its NCAA Tournament run ended in the Sweet 16 after he turned the ball over 13 times compared to just 10 made shots. He also dished 34 assists in those three games. He played 32.4 minutes per game this season, 35.0 in the NCAA Tournament as Michigan State felt the strain of backup point guard Divine Ugochukwu’s foot injury.
Without Fears, Michigan State’s top point guard would be Ugochukwu, who missed the last 12 games of the season with his injury. Freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. will join Michigan State this season, too.
Fears became a starter in 2024-25 after his true freshman season was cut short when he was shot in the thigh during a Christmas break party in his hometown of Joliet, Illinois. He made impressive strides in a season that ended in a Big Ten championship and Elite Eight run, averaging 7.2 points and 5.4 assists on 23.7 minutes per game. This past season, he regained a lot of the explosive athleticism that made him a McDonald’s All-American as part of the 2023 class.
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@ConnorEaregood
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jeremy Fears Jr. to test NBA Draft waters, might return to Michigan State
Reporting by Connor Earegood, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
