Top 2025 guard Jeremiah Fears decommits from Illinois basketball

AZ Compass Prep standout from Illinois committed to Illinois in January

Joliet West 2025 guard Jeremiah Fears / Photo by Paul Halfacre, SBLive Sports

Jeremiah Fears has re-opened his recruitment.

A standout 2025 combo guard at AZ Compass Prep, Fears had been committed to his home state school, the University of Illinois, since January 22. It is now possible Fears could try reclassify to the Class of 2024.

"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 wrote on his X/Twitter account. "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 BIG10. With that said, after further consideration and meaningful conversations with my family, I'll be reopening my recruitment and exploring other opportunities."

A 6-foot-3, 175-pound combo guard, Fears played at Joliet (Ill.) West High School as a sophomore with his older brother Jeremy before transferring to AZ Compass Prep prior to his junior year of high school. Jeremy Fears, one of the top guards in the 2023 class, signed with Michigan State.

The younger Fears is the No. 32 prospect nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings in the Class of 2025 and is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 38 prospect nationally.

Fears could reclassify to the Class of 2024 and would immediately become one of the top prospects available for the upcoming season.

Rivals had Fears ranked as the No. 7 point guard in the Class of 2025, and No. 31 prospect nationally, but following the decommitment announcement now lists the Illinois native as a prospect in the Class of 2024.

Fears had more than a dozen scholarship offers before making his commitment to the Illini, including from Kansas, Arizona, Michigan, Tennessee, Michigan State, Iowa and Providence. He took visits to Tennessee and Providence before pledging to Illinois.

Fears is coming off a strong performance with the U.S. Under-18 national team, which won the AmeriCup championship last month in Buenos Aires. Fears averaged 6.5 points, 3 steals and 2.8 assists per game.

😱 @jeremiahfears2 goes SKY HOOK over the 7’7” defender!

🇺🇸 #USABMU18 x #U18AmeriCup pic.twitter.com/eyMUQCOUFT

— USABJNT (@usabjnt) June 8, 2024

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- Nate Latsch |  latsch@scorebooklive.com