_Editor’s note: this and a few other profiles were written before the Mavericks winning the lottery. We’re running them anyway because they’re fun._
With the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade still looming, the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.mavsmoneyball.com) have two first-round opportunities, if they don’t trade them, over the next two drafts to add high-ceiling, low-cost players to this roster. The Mavericks’ problems have only been exacerbated by the Kyrie Irving ACL injury, which all but closes the door on Nico’s “Three-year window.”
So, unless the basketball gods bless our ping pong balls on May 12th at the NBA Lottery, the Mavericks will likely be drafting close to the end of the lottery. If Jeremiah Fears is still on the board, the Mavericks could walk away with a cornerstone for the future.
The Basics
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Jeremiah Fears is listed as a 6’4 point guard for the University of Oklahoma. Fears will be one of the youngest players in this year’s draft. He reclassified from the class of 2025 to the class of 2024, and barely turned 18 when OU started its season in November. Fears was a four-star recruit who had an impressive showing in the EYBL circuit, showcasing his ability to be a three-level scorer against some of the best talent in the country. While Fears was ranked as the 32nd-best prospect in the class of 2025, when he reclassified, he dropped in rankings to number 42 of the 2024 class, which is normal when prospects move up a year.
Jeremiah Fears started the season on a tear and was one of the best freshman guards in college basketball. In November, Fears had a 26-point, five-rebound, five-assist game against 24th-ranked Arizona, which propelled him into the national spotlight. In that game, Fears went 4-7 from beyond the arc and a perfect eight for eight from the free throw line. Fears went from being a relatively unknown on NBA boards to a bona fide one-and-done NBA prospect. Fears scored over 20 points nine times this season and dropped over 30 points in two games.
Fears finished the season averaging 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, and 1.5 steals a game. His outside shooting was suspect, averaging only 28% from threes and just under 44% from the field. On a positive note, Fears finished at 84% from the free-throw line, which is a great indicator for shot improvement with development.
Strengths
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Fears is a quick downhill lead guard with the ability to change pace and finish at the basket. Fears absorbs contact and draws fouls and has proven these skills in the toughest conference in the country, doing it a year younger than most freshmen in college basketball. Fears is one of the best ball handlers in this class and while he doesn’t have elite speed, his quickness and ability to get into the paint and decelerate are elite. Fears has the frame to easily add muscle and become stronger, which would only improve his NBA trajectory.
What I love most about Jeremiah Fears are the intangibles. His leadership, energy, and maturity are what don’t show up in the stat sheet. Fears’ leadership propelled OU to the NCAA tournament. He has one of the highest usage rates in the SEC, which is a testament to the energy and competitiveness he brings to the game. While he is not a lockdown defender, his effort and competitiveness make him a plus defender and not a defensive liability, which will keep him on the court early in his NBA career.
Weaknesses
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Fears is listed at 6’4 but looks closer to 6’2. In 2023 at the Nike Elite Camp, Fears measured 6’1 barefoot and had a 6’3 wingspan. Which kind of tracks on film, because Fears is not a long-armed physical specimen that jumps off the screen. In a year where the top point guards in the draft range from 6’5 to 6’9, Fears is a small lead guard who will need to put the work in the weight room to compete at the NBA level.
While he has improved some, Fears’ decision-making is questionable. His assist-to-turnover rate makes me pause on how much time he will need to become an effective initiator at the next level. The speed of the NBA game may exacerbate this problem and could lead to growing pains over his first few seasons.
Fears’ shooting problems are definitely his biggest red flag. While he can make difficult shots in the paint, he will need to improve the rate at which they fall. His three-point shooting is truly feast or famine. Take the month of February 8th through March 8th, he had five games where he didn’t make a three in 17 attempts and another four games where he shot 45% in 20 attempts.
Fit with the Mavericks
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Most scouts agree that point guard is the hardest position to play in the NBA. It takes playing time and a couple of years of development on the court to develop into a great point guard. The Mavericks can give Fears the perfect combination of playing time, mentorship, and time to develop to become the point guard of the future in Dallas.
Fears would give Dallas the ability to rehab Kyrie next year and give fans a young player to grow next to Lively. Fears’ ability to drive to the basket would give Dallas the stopgap they would desperately need next year. Dallas’ loaded lineup would be an easier transition to the NBA than being a number one option on other teams.
NBA Comparison
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Okay, now hear me out, we are drafting late in the lottery at best, so no prospect is perfect, but if you squint and look at the size, frame, and college stats, you can see shades of Tyrese Maxey. While Maxey was picked 21st in the 2020 draft, the former Garland prospect was highly ranked and landed at Kentucky. While Fears didn’t have the same supporting cast as Maxey in college, Fears put the team on his back to lead OU to big wins all season.
Tyrese Maxey and Jeremiah Fears had almost identical stats in college. Maxey averaged 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 35 minutes at Kentucky. Fears averaged more points, assists, and steals in five fewer minutes on the court.
Both Fears and Maxey shot below 30% at three-pointers and shot 43 and 42 percent from the field, respectively. Fears and Maxey also had almost identical effective field goal rates and free throw percentages. Where you see the biggest difference in their games is turnovers; Fears averaged just over one more turnover than Maxey, in five fewer minutes a game. I should mention that Fears’ worst three turnover games were in the first two months of the season.
Overall, Fears is the type of high-upside swing Dallas fans desperately need for a win in the draft this year.