MSU Recruiting Gem PG Fears Named Among Nation's Best

Jeremy Fears Jr. was one of the brightest stars in a stacked 2023 recruiting class for Michigan State and Tom Izzo. This season, he has shown why.
Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI

The 2023 recruiting class was one of the best that Michigan State's Tom Izzo ever landed.

Late into his career, it could very well prove to be pivotal in his quest for an elusive second national title. The headliner might have been five-star Xavier Booker, who has become a formidable player at the college level. Coen Carr, another neon name, has developed into the team's most exciting player.

But Jeremy Fears Jr. may have been the true prize, listed as the No. 33 overall prospect in that class by 247Sports, right on the thin line of getting that fifth star on his recruiting profile. He's certainly proving that right now, as he is the nation's fourth-best playmaker, per renowned data scientist and statistician Evan Miyakawa, whose work has been featured in ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic and our own SI Now.

Only Purdue's Braden Smith, Pepperdine's Moe Odum and UC Riverside's Barrington Hargress rank higher. Fears has an elite playmaking score of 20.6, a predicted assist rate of 38.4 percent, and a predicted turnover percentage of 4.4.

Factoring in that Fears has faced far better competition than Odum and Hargress, it's safe to say just Smith outranks him in a reality.

The second-year star has arrived, but it all goes back to his recruitment and Izzo's stellar performance on the recruiting trail.

The 2023 class' No. 7 point guard was touted by Adam Finkelstein as a "true point guard."

"Has natural charisma and leadership skills," he wrote in the original scouting report. "He knows how to run a team, has good floor vision and playmaking instincts, particularly in the open court and when playing pick-and-roll. He’s very smart with a lot of tricks up his sleeve, although there are times when he doesn’t always value the ball as much as he showed with USA Basketball. His size and measurables aren’t overwhelming, but he’s starting to build up his body, show more vertical leaping ability when he can elevate off of two feet, and play with more pace in the open floor. ... His biggest swing skill is his shooting. He’s a consistent threat with his pull-up, but can jerk his release from behind the three-point line.

"Overall, Fears was at his best, and most efficient version of himself, with USA Basketball, which should be a good indication of what we’ll likely see at Michigan State."

His freshman year was cut short due to a tragic incident in which he was shot in the leg. Now, after a long recovery and the kind of perseverance that endears a player to Spartans faithful, Fears is the leader of the squad, Izzo's point guard of the future.

Michigan State is No. 12 in the country, a favorite for the Big Ten title. They sport a healthy 14-2 record along with a 5-0 mark against conference competition.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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