Losing Jeremy Fears Jr. to the NBA following his sophomore season was not something that was on anyone’s radar, but after going through the draft process via the Combine, there’s a non-zero chance that the Michigan State point guard leaves early.
The draft process was initially supposed to be just a feedback thing, but the sophomore point guard performed well enough at the NBA Combine to really improve his stock. He went from not being on any draft boards to being pegged as a mid-second-rounder by some experts.
I haven’t seen any mocks with him in the first round nor early in the second, but Fears Jr. and his dad both took to Twitter to kind of cause a little worry among the Michigan State fanbase.
Obviously everyone wants him to do what’s best for him, but the fact that Michigan State legitimately doesn’t have a backup option means that his departure could bury the Spartans. Tom Izzo will also tell him to do what’s best for him, but the Hall of Fame head coach has been pretty confident that he’d be getting Fears back throughout the process.
However, he and his dad didn’t do a ton to quell the Spartan fanbase.
Fears and his dad addressed the talk about him being likely to return to school because he’s not projected as a first-rounder in any mocks.
How can people tell you what’s best for YOU ???
— Jeremy Fears jr. The Floor General (@jeremy_fears) May 17, 2026
His dad joined in the conversation, stating that he couldn’t see himself putting a ton of stock into NBA draft rankings and mocks. This kind of alludes to him believing his son is a first-rounder.
I never could really see myself putting too much stock in rankings and mock drafts.
— Jeremy Fears Sr. (@Jfears5) May 17, 2026
This could also just be a case of a dad believing in his son, but Fears Jr. was pretty adamant that people shouldn’t be telling him what’s best for him. Is that alluding to fans or people in his corner? I’m going to assume the former, but you never know.
He did say that Divine Ugochukwu got some bad advice. So who knows. Either way, Spartan fans are now more confused than ever.
A return would be mutually beneficial for Jeremy Fears, MSU
It goes without saying that Fears returning would benefit Michigan State a ton, but it would also help the soon-to-be (hopefully) junior point guard immensely.
Michigan State would obviously be one of the best teams in college basketball if he returns and he’d be in line to lead a legitimate national title contender and he’d build on a budding legacy.
Fears would benefit by not taking a pay cut as a second-rounder who’d likely be signing a two-way contract and he would work on his jumper and become a first-round pick next year. He would be able to develop massively with another year under a Hall of Famer.
We don’t know what’s best for Fears, but it sure seems like another year would benefit the All-American point guard, especially since he doesn’t have a consistent jumper.
Sunday’s Twitter posts didn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence in the fanbase though.
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