Jeremy Fears Jr. will play during Michigan State basketball’s Spain trip

EAST LANSING – It’s August, and Tom Izzo is already preparing Michigan State basketball for an important mission.

A 10-day trip to Spain that’s less than a week away, with three and possibly four games overseas. Integrating two transfers, Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala, into the lineup. Sliding Jaden Akins into the shooting guard spot and preparing Xavier Booker and others for much bigger roles.

And, perhaps most critically for the upcoming season, getting Jeremy Fears Jr. back on the court.

Izzo said Tuesday that his second-year point guard is about “99%” recovered from a December 2023 shooting that cost Fears all but 12 games of his freshman season. And the Hall of Fame coach, gearing up for his 30th season leading the Spartans, said he has been pleased with Fears’ summer progression.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo talks to guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) during the first half against Southern Indiana at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.

“I want to see him run a team, which I know he can do,” Izzo said. “I want to see his defense. I mean, it was hard because he was off a long time. But the one thing about Jeremy is he’s already a student of the game, and he did study the game.”

In late June, the NCAA granted Fears a medical waiver that allowed him to receive a redshirt for the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound native of Joliet, Illinois, was shot in his upper left leg during the early morning hours of Dec. 23 in his hometown, ending his first season. The 19-year-old averaged 3.5 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds with 10 steals over 15.3 minutes in MSU’s first 12 games.

“It’s really not hard to play with him, for real. He just makes it easy for you,” said Akins, a senior. “He sees where everybody is on the court, so it’s really not hard to play with him. … He’s back. He’s definitely competitive.”

Since recruiting Fears, Izzo has likened his young point guard’s leadership and abilities to elevate those around…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jeremy-fears-jr-play-during-202846151.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-08-06 20:28:46

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.