Jeremiah Fears' rise is not a surprise to OU teammates
Look, everybody knew OU basketball was getting a lift with Jeremiah Fears entering the program. Now the question was just how big?
How big could you realistically set the bar for someone who is supposed to be a high senior at the moment? Turns out pretty dang high and only getting higher.
Fears hit one of the biggest shots of the first two months of the college basketball season Wednesday night. With OU trailing 86-83, Fears drained a 3-pointer with 11.5 seconds left and was fouled. He made the free throw. The Sooners defeated Michigan 87-86 to remain undefeated.
Just a freshman scoring a 30-point game to have OU improve to 11-0. That’s all.
“First off, with how he has been playing? The kid is a wonderful kid,” guard Duke Miles said. “He works hard every day. What you put in, the work is going to show. That shot? It was just unbelievable. One of those shots where you’re like is it really real? As soon as he made it, I know you saw the video, ran over there and gave him a big hug. I said I’m proud of you.”
Nobody was expecting Fears to be a leader. Or to be the guy to come up big in the clutch for OU. However, he has not backed down from the task yet. You could argue he’s never going to.
Between some veteran leadership, incredibly experienced guards and now the no fear mentality in Fears? There is a lot to like for OU and its fans.
“It’s been great,” senior Jalon Moore said. “Just seeing his growth game by game, and just for him to go out there and showcase everything that he can do and bring to the table for this team and to go out there and have a growing moment and a special moment like that for him, it was exciting sitting there watching. I was really glad to see him hit that shot and be able to lead this team to a win.”
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You always wonder about those top-ranked recruits. How will they handle the adjustment to college? Ego? Attitude? Sounds like Fears has done everything right.
He has been shooting up NBA Draft boards, as high as No. 12 with Bleacher Report. Most of the projections were done before the Michigan game. No telling what it might look like now.
Fears signed in the summer, no chance to gel with the team. But he’s a vital cog now, and OU is off and running as one of the lone undefeated teams left in the country.
“I already kinda knew about Jeremiah Fears,” Miles said. “He was a five-star, so followed him on social media. He was all over SLAM and stuff and a little bit familiar with his game. When I saw he might be coming? He could be a big piece for us. We always need more people who can pass, dribble and defend. Thinking about it now and seeing his work from the time he came here to now, it is unbelievable. That man has so much potential. The sky is the limit for him.
“As a young kid, they usually have a lot of egos and attitudes. but he’s always learning from the older guys and the coaches and staying humble. He doesn’t let the big shots or big games get to his head. He’s always been respectful and humble. That’s what I really like about playing with him.”
