Jeremy Fears egregiously snubbed from Defensive Player of the Year watch list

Jeremy Fears is having an All-American-type season with Michigan State. Not only is the sophomore turning heads with his newfound offensive game, but he’s also arguably the best defender in the Big Ten.

That’s right, Fears is the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the country. That would likely make him one of the locks for a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive team, following the footsteps of Jaden Akins from a season ago. There have been several Spartans to earn those honors under Tom Izzo, but Fears may end up being his first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year since Xavier Tillman.

Opposing fans can be very critical of Fears, but one thing that can’t be criticized is his defense.

Yet Fears was somehow snubbed from a midseason award watch list that celebrates elite defense. The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year has been awarded every year since 2018, but no Spartan has ever won it. And judging by the midseason watch list, it appears that will continue this season.

Fears was not listed among dozens of defensive juggernauts from around college basketball, including four from the Big Ten.

So the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the Big Ten isn’t good enough to be listed as a potential winner for a major defensive award? Make that make sense.

The Jeremy Fears disrespect continues

“Free throw merchant.”
”Flop artist.”
”Can’t shoot.”

Fears has heard it all from opposing fans. When he’s good, it’s because something else happened to allow that, not because he’s actually playing at an elite level. Opposing fans almost never have good things to say about Fears, but that’s how you know he’s good — he gets under their skin.

Disrespect has been flowing his way for the past two seasons, and that just continued thanks to the committee that votes on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

According to Evan Miya, Fears is the fourth-highest-rated player in college basketball in combined offensive and defensive rating. That defensive rating is also one of the best in the country.

How is that not good enough to make a list of the 25 best defenders in the country?

This is just the latest egregious Michigan State snub.