Just when the transfer portal closed and it looked like Michigan State was going to escape the offseason almost completely unscathed in terms of surprise departures, Jeremy Fears Jr. decides to go out and turn heads at the NBA Combine a day after being projected as a second-rounder by ESPN.
Losing Divine Ugochukwu was one thing, but watching Fears parlay a great Combine showing into a draft pick would be the end of Michigan State’s title hopes for 2026-27.
Michigan State’s entire 2026-27 season actually hinges on Fears and his offseason growth. If he decides to leave because he was promised a pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Michigan State may as well just fold up shop because there’s no replacing an All-American who led the nation in assists per game (9.4). It doesn’t matter how good we think Carlos Medlock Jr. is (he’s very good by the way), he’s not going to be an All-American on Day 1.
Plus, Michigan State’s ball-handler situation would become dire, forcing Jasiah Jervis to probably play a little point guard outside of his natural two-guard role.
Fears’ performance at the NBA Combine scrimmage on Wednesday was impressive, but it was just one of several impressive showings this week by the Spartan guard. He breezed through a four-cone drill, aced some interviews, and then dropped 17 points and five assists in his first Combine scrimmage.
It’s been a great week for the Michigan State star’s draft stock already and it’s causing some fans to keep the panic button ready.
Why Jeremy Fears is probably coming back
Losing Fears would be one of the biggest gut-punches in Michigan State basketball history, but I don’t think that’s a very likely scenario.
Why? Because it doesn’t make a ton of sense financially nor as an aspiring NBA star. In the one mock draft that I’ve actually seen Fears mentioned in, he’s projected to go No. 47 overall to the Phoenix Suns in the second round. That’s a mid-to-late second-round pick and those draftees usually earn somewhere around $1-2 million or the league minimum.
If I had to guess, Fears is making more than that at Michigan State. His NIL deals likely exceed that $1-2 million range that second-round draftees earn — and that’s on the higher end.
Plus, Fears is going to get feedback about working on his jumper and confidence in his three. Everyone knows he can run, pass, defend, and get to the foul line, but he has to be a more consistent shooter before the NBA really gives him a shot. Teams could take a chance on him in round two, but they’d rather have him more polished.
Fears is also a competitor so leaving Michigan State after losing two games to Michigan, watching the Wolverines win a national title, and getting bounced in a heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss to the team that made it to the national championship just doesn’t sound like something he’d do.
Always be prepared for the worst obviously, but it would be shocking if Fears wasn’t back.
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