Jeremiah Fears, one of the top-ranked recruits of the 2025 class, announced his commitment to Illinois on Monday, landing head coach Brad Underwood’s Illini a talented combo guard for the 2025-26 season.
Fears, the younger brother of Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears, is a four-star recruit ranked at 44th in his class, according to 247Sports.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Fears is a native of Joliet, Illinois, despite playing for Arizona Compass Prep.
The combination of being from Illinois and intense recruiting from Underwood and Geoff Alexander seemed to play a major role in his decision.
“Itʼs my hometown school,” Fears told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi. “I want to win and be a hometown hero. Theyʼve been recruiting me the longest and the hardest since the eighth grade. I have a great relationship with Brad Underwood and staff.”
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
Fears isn’t scouted as a floor general but as a score-first two guard. The high school junior is scouted as a talented scorer with strong ball-handling abilities, able to score both in the flow of the offense and off the dribble.
Monday’s announcement brings Illinois its first recruit of the 2025 class. He will ideally serve as a long-term scoring option along with 2024 big-man recruit Morez Johnson.
@JackLarson2003
