Blazers Select SWC Guard in Latest Mock Draft

Will Portland get some lottery luck in this summer's 2025 NBA Draft?

Dec 6, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA: Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin looks on before the game against the Utah Jazz at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Sporting a 32-42 record on the 2024-25 season so far, the Western Conference's No. 12-seeded Portland Trail Blazers are currently four games behind the No. 10-seeded Dallas Mavericks (36-38).

The team has just eight games left to play, and is slowly falling out of the play-in tournament race. Dallas recently brought back 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis, who even on a minutes restriction remains a pretty impactful two-way player.

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There is one big benefit of missing the postseason entirely: Portland could land in the lottery for the fourth consecutive season.

Assuming that transpires, Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports projects 6-foot-4 Oklahoma freshman shooting guard Jeremiah Fears to land with the Trail Blazers with the No. 10 pick this summer in a fresh mock draft.

WHAT A SHOT FROM JEREMIAH FEARS TO WIN IT FOR @OU_MBBall 🤯 pic.twitter.com/qwPPfbfQYO

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) December 19, 2024

"Deni Avdija has been sensational down the stretch of the season for Portland. If he and Donovan Clingan are the frontcourt of the future, then Portland probably tries to address the lopsided fit of their backcourt here," Finkelstein writes.

Finkelstein considers Fears to be something of a raw project, who will need at least a season of, well, seasoning before he can contribute to a winning NBA culture.

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"Fears won't be ready next year, but he finished the season as strong as he started, leading Oklahoma back to the NCAA Tournament and showing extreme playmaking ability in the process," Finkelstein opines. "His presence also gives Portland flexibility to move off one of their current backcourt pieces."

Fears is a hyper-athletic downhill player with a solid handle and a knack for driving inside.

Jeremiah Fears spin cycle to the rack
pic.twitter.com/skVhITzVUv

— Mark Titus Show (@MarkTitusShow) March 22, 2025

In 34 games this season, the SEC All-Freshman honoree logged averages of 17.1 points on 43.4 percent shooting from the floor and 85.1 percent shooting from the foul line, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

More Portland Trail Blazers:

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For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.