Four-star guard Jeremiah Fears announced that he is decommitting from Illinois basketball, in a statement posted on social media Monday afternoon.
“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. “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 being said, after further consideration and meaningful conversations with my family, I’ll be reopening my recruitment and exploring other opportunities.”
Fears is originally from Joliet, Illinois but is currently playing high school basketball at Compass Prep in Arizona. In 14 games for Compass Prep this year, Fears averaged 14.2 points, 2.3 assists and 2.5 steals. The 6-foot-3 combo guard was also a part of the USA U18 Team that won the gold medal in the FIBA AmeriCup last month, alongside incoming freshman forward Morez Johnson. Fears loves to get downhill and is a confident finisher at the rim. He is also great at getting his own shot off the dribble in the midrange. However, Fears’ three-point shot still needs improvement after he shot below 20% from behind the arc on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring, as well as in the AmeriCup.
Fears will now speak with other schools and find another program that fits his skill set. Before originally committing to Illinois, he received multiple other high-major offers, including Kansas, Providence and Michigan. Fears has shown some interest in potentially reclassifying to the class of 2024, but as of now, he remains in the class of 2025 and will spend another year in high school.
Without Fears, Brad Underwood and his staff still have a talented guard rotation for the next couple of years, despite not having any commits in the class of 2025. Returning sophomore Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn showed moments of promise toward the end of last season, and returning junior Ty Rodgers has been working on adding a consistent jump shot to his game during the summer, which will give him another weapon alongside his defensive capabilities and playmaking skills. Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell, a true point guard who can facilitate and shoot, and Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who has an excellent feel for the game and is a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, will also be important pieces for Illinois in the guard rotation over the next season or two.
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