Kentucky reaches out to Jeremiah Fears as potential reclass option

Could Mark Pope be eyeing a top-30 prospect to round out his debut roster in Lexington? Just a few hours removed from reopening his recruitment, former Illinois pledge Jeremiah Fears has received a call from the Kentucky Wildcats — his first confirmed contact.

The four-star recruit announced the news on social media early Monday evening.

Fears, rated as the No. 26 overall recruit and No. 5 point guard in the On3 Industry Ranking, backed out of his commitment to Illinois early Monday afternoon. He previously committed to the Fighting Illini back on January 22 over a final group of Providence, Kansas, Ole Miss and Michigan.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank the Illini nation for all the love and support they have given me and my family during my recruitment and after my commitment,” Fears announced earlier in the day. “I’d like to express my appreciation to Coach Underwood and his staff for their open communication and trust in me as a prospective next great guard to perform at State Farm Center. Please trust my full intention was to enter Champaign in the class of 2025 and help contribute to the continued ascension in the Big 10.

“With that being said, after further consideration and meaningful conversations with my family, I’ll be reopening my recruitment and exploring other opportunities.”

The Arizona Compass Prep standout is a native of Joliet, Illinois — just two hours away from Champaign. Previously deciding to stay home, the younger brother of Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears will reclassify to 2024 and enroll ahead of the upcoming season. He immediately becomes the top available high school prospect in the nation as the lone top 100 player still looking for a home going into 2024-25.

Will Kentucky be his next and final landing spot? The Wildcats have reached out to express early interest with one available scholarship remaining.

As we wait to see where things go between the two sides, check out the four-star guard’s latest highlights from the current EYBL season: