Basketball season is almost back in Norman, and many Sooner fans are eagerly awaiting the Oklahoma debut of, by far, the most exciting prospect Oklahoma has landed since Trae Young: Jeremiah Fears. There hasn’t been this much excitement and anticipation around a player in Norman for a very long time.

Fears, who was originally in the 2025 class before reclassifying into the 2024 class, didn’t start practicing with the team until August. “He’s been getting caught up; he’s been really coachable,” said head coach Porter Moser. Moser also highlighted Fears' defensive development: "His effort’s been great. He’s learning where to be in this ball coverage, where to be in the shell. It’s everything from valuing transition defense to knowing your rotations. He’s been coming in, watching extra tape on his defense, which has impressed me. That’s a great sign."

This defensive focus only adds to Fears' already impressive offensive prowess. As Moser pointed out, Fears led the prestigious EYBL in scoring this year, averaging over 22 points per game. Despite his offensive gifts, it’s his drive to improve every aspect of his game that stands out: “He’s got some serious gifts offensively… but I’ve been super impressed with how much he’s wanting to learn.”

Fortunately for Oklahoma, Fears has been doing everything possible to get up to speed. “He comes up and watches extra film; he gets extra shots,” added Moser. Although Fears is technically still high school-aged, his experience playing at an elite level has helped him make the transition. “I got used to it pretty quickly,” Fears explained. “I think the prep school route helped me a lot—playing against the best of the best night in and night out. My team was one of the best in our league. I think it helped prepare me for college from a young age.”

Fears may be humble about his adjustment, but his teammates and coaches have noticed his immediate impact. Jadon Jones summed it up best: “That kid is fearless. We all know he’s very talented; he’s very skilled. He’ll be a great player for a long time. Some guys come in, and they’re kind of timid, and their main goal is to just not mess up. He wanted to take over from day one. He came in fearless, attacking anyone.”

When Jones says Fears was attacking anyone, he means it—no exceptions, even for NBA All-Stars. “Trae Young came and hooped with us a little bit, and he was trying to attack Trae Young,” said Jones. How’d that go for Fears? “It went better than you would think,” he added, a testament to Fears’ skill and confidence.

The praise for Fears doesn’t stop there. “He’s talented; he’s a very good player, and I’m excited to see what he does,” Jones said. Moser echoed that sentiment, emphasizing Fears’ potential: “Any novice is going to lay their eyes on him and see that he’s different. He’s very talented. I’m excited to keep his arrow going up in terms of his development.”

Other teammates have also taken notice of Fears’ abilities. “He’s uber-athletic for us; he really has speed,” Moser said. Kobe Elvis highlighted Fears’ well-rounded skill set: “He’s just a great basketball player. He’s somebody that has unwavering confidence… with him—his vision, his handle, his athleticism—he’s also somebody that can space the floor.” Sam Godwin added another layer of praise: “He’s one of the most talented freshmen I’ve ever seen. The pace he pushes with in transition, and the skill and IQ he has as a freshman, is really impressive.”

As the season approaches, the excitement around Jeremiah Fears only continues to build. His fearless approach, talent, and relentless drive to improve make him a player to watch—and Oklahoma fans can’t wait to see what he does this season, starting on November 4th against Lindenwood.

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