Jeremy Fears Jr. discusses what legacy he wants with Michigan State basketball

I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again, Jeremy Fears Jr. has a chance to go down as one of the greatest Michigan State basketball players of all time.

On paper that’s a very hard thing to do, but when you think about it you realize it’s 100 percent possible. This is due (for better or for worse) because of the cards Fears was dealt last December when he was shot in the leg. That incident flipped his journey on its head, which in turn impacts the legacy he will leave at Michigan Stats when his career is complete.

Legacy is an interesting thing to think about, especially when it pertains to someone who could still play at MSU for four more years. But this topic was brought up in a recent interview posted online by Spartan City, and the response Fears gave left out some important details.

Fears was asked what he wants his legacy to be at Michigan State, and the answer he gave was quite simple: “Definitely winning, and hopefully winning something big such as a national championship or going super far in the tournament.”

To be honest, this answer isn’t all that surprising. If I were in Fears’ shoes I wouldn’t want my legacy to be tied to the incident that happened to him last December either. But unfortunately that story isn’t going anywhere, but I think it only adds to his legacy in a positive way.

Sure being remembered as a winner is always the most important thing to college athletes, but the impact they have can be much greater than that. For example, remember the feeling surrounding Cassius Winston his senior year? He was a rockstar around campus and the fanbase. That has nothing to do with his legacy as a winner, but speaks to how great of a person he was.

Tom Izzo has had a few players throughout his tenure who mean more to the fanbase than how many games they won. And Fears has a chance to join that illustrious group.

And while I have no doubts about Fears going down as a winner, I also think he has a chance to go down as one of the most resilient Spartans of all time. So many people can look to what he overcame and use it as inspiration in their own lives. That source of inspiration, in my opinion, is just as great of a legacy as being a winner.

Now when it’s all said and done, the first thing people will think about is how Fears was as a player (and by all accounts he’s going to be a special player). But couple that with the resiliency he has already shown in his career, and I think Fears will go down as one of the all time greats in Michigan State basketball history.