Meet Jeremiah Fears, the NBA Draft prospect who wants to 'destroy' opponents

Oklahoma Sooner guard Jeremiah Fears is already one of the top players in his position in the 2025 NBA Draft, and it's obvious that he is only going to keep improving.Fears is the youngest American-born prospect in this cycle behind only projected No.

1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.

Both players reclassified to forego their senior year of high school and instead enroll in college, where they enjoyed tremendous success.During his one-and-done campaign at Oklahoma last season, Fears earned SEC All-Freshman honors.

He averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game while helping lead his team to the NCAA tournament.The freshman spoke to For The Win about working alongside his agent (former NBA player Mike Miller), how much he is fueled by his brother, Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr., what he has learned from other Oklahoma stars, like Trae Young and Buddy Hield, and more.He is currently projected at No.

7 overall in our latest consensus mock draft.

Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win.This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

You can watch Episode 3 of Prospect Park below:What have you done in the pre-draft process and how have you improved most?Fears: The last few weeks have been nothing but work.

Its been very exciting being able to learn from Mike Miller himself.

Hes taking me underneath his wing and Im able to learn from him and add it to my game.

Thats been so helpful for me.

I would say just probably my IQ and my shooting ability.

Mikes done a great job every single day being able to work with me and teach me the ins and outs and help me prepare for whats about to come.

The relationships have gone a long way for me.

I really like the staff Im working with and everybody thats been along this journey have done a great job welcoming me with open arms and being by my side.

Whenever Ive needed help, theyve been there.

What is the most important thing that NBA teams should know about you?Fears: The most important thing they should know about me is Im somebody everybody wants to be around, that is going to bring energy, be positive, no matter whether the situation is good or bad.

Im somebody who knows how to weather the storm, and Im somebody you can lean on and count on off the court.

On the court, I want NBA teams and people to know that Jeremiah Fears is a dog, and hes coming with it every single time he steps on the court.On the defensive end, Im trying to shut you down and stop you from having a good night.

Offensively, Im going to come at you as well.

So thats something that my opponent is going to know every time I step on the court.

My opponent is going to know Jeremiah Fears is coming to destroy me.

You guys are going to be getting a dog.

Whoever picks me on draft night, youre going to be getting a dog, somebody thats going to come in and work hard and bring the star power and give it his all everytime that he steps on the court.

How does your age impact your overall developmental trajectory?Fears: Its very helpful, obviously, being young.

Its a lot to learn.

I still have a lot of years left to play the game.

Im somebody thats willing to learn from the older guys, the vets.

The more you pick up, the better player you will be and the better person you will become.

Im just continuing to come into every situation with an open mind and try my best to show the vets Im willing to learn and Im ready to work.

Ive picked up on the way people around the NBA carry themselves like professionals, you want to be somebody people want to be around.

They are always positive, supportive, and pay attention to the details.

The details go a long way for me, too.

Pay attention to the details of how teams carry themselves and how other players carry themselves.What are the ways that your family has helped you become the player you are today?Fears: I think its helped a lot.

Basketball is in our DNA.

So just being able to learn from my big brother and my father has been very helpful for me.

They taught me basically everything I know.

Theyre always supporting.

Theyre probably my biggest critics as well, so knowing I can lean on them for any and everything, I know theyre going to tell me the good and the bad whether or not I want to hear it.

So Im very thankful for them, and I know in the future, they want me to be the best I can be.

I love the workouts with my brother.

I think our workouts are very intense.

Everything we do, we try to compete.

We push each other.

So it might be a shooting competition or something like just playing one-on-one, well say: Maybe you should have made this move.

Maybe you should have taken that shot when you had the time.

So were able to help each other while also competing and going hard.

What are some of the ways that you improved while at Oklahoma? Fears: I will definitely give a lot of credit to the coaching staff.

They did a great job bringing in somebody so young, 17 when he first stepped foot on campus.

They did a great job helping me, putting me in the right position.

Every single coach there wanted the best for me and did everything they could to put me in the situation Im in today.

I want to give all the credit to them and our player development coach Josh Oppenheinmer did a great job every single day to help me prepare and be ready for the big moments and the big stage.

I was able to talk to Buddy Hield and Trae Young.

They actually came back for open gyms with us a couple times so that was good for not only me but my teammates as well.

We got to play against them and see what it was like.

I talked to them about what it was like and what the process is like.

They mainly told us to enjoy everything and its going to be quick.

You have to come back and prove yourself all over again.

So just go in thee with an open mind and its going to help me in the long run.

They basically told me to keep doing what youre doing.

Keep listening.

They cant wait to see me at the next stage and to play against me in the NBA.

Ive been trying to enjoy every single moment.

I know sometimes it might be a lot, especially for a young kid.

But its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and its something you dream about.

So to be in the situation is a blessing and so I try to enjoy every thing that comes my way.

What is the most underrated part of your game as of right now?Fears: Its my on-ball defense, for sure.

Theyve seen a little bit of it in college, but Im going to show them some more once I get to the pros.

I would also say my rebounding.

I do a really good job of rebounding for a point guard and Im going to continue to do that.

Was this all something you were able to picture for yourself? Fears: Yes.

I wrote it down when I was in eighth grade or the start of freshman year.

I had it in the back of my head.

Wherever Im at in life on the court or off the court, I try to write down a goal and it just kind of helps me know what Im working toward.

I want to be one of the best point guards in the NBA.

I want to win the MVP of the NBA.

I want to be one of the best point guards to play the game.

I trust my work.

I put in a lot of work.

So I just believed in myself and trusted my work.

I always bet on myself and believe in the work I put in.

You dont go into the gym and put in multiple hours and then go on the court and freeze up when the big moment comes.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Meet Jeremiah Fears, the NBA Draft prospect who wants to 'destroy' opponents.

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