Illinois Fighting Illini Commit Jeremiah Fears Announces U18 Team USA Commitment

Anthony Pasciolla | May 28, 2024

AZ Compass Jeremiah Fears (2) drives to the basket during the game between Bartlett High School and AZ Compass Prep School during Memphis Hoopfest at Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Tenn., on Saturday, January 6, 2024. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

Five-star Illinois Fighting Illini commit Jeremiah Fears is taking his talents to Team USA this summer as a member of the U18 group.

Fears announced the commitment on Instagram Tuesday morning with the caption, "Honored and Blessed." He is no stranger to playing with Team USA, winning gold medals at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup and 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.

The junior at AZ Compass was a major reason for the team's 20-5 record this season. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 14.2 points and 2.5 steals in 13 games. Here's a scouting report on Fears from Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports.

"Fears is the younger brother of Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears but plays an entirely different brand of basketball. He is a smooth and confident scorer who has no problem finding his own offense within the flow of a game," Jenkins wrote. "A combination guard with a score-first mindset, Fears is at his best in a secondary ball-handling role where he can primarily focus on making shots and creating for himself off the bounce. He is talented with the ball in his hands and has a creative enough handle to break defenders down to get to his pull-up game."

Illinois' season was brought to a close in the Elite Eight by the reigning champion UConn Huskies. Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is much to thank for the postseason push, as he averaged roughly 34 points in the NCAA and Big Ten Tournament. Fears' commitment to the Fighting Illini makes sense because Shannon is a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor for Illini Now. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla