His rookie season hasn't even formally begun yet, but it's safe to say Jeremiah Fears has already been proving critics of himself and the New Orleans Pelicans wrong.
After a more than solid preseason, Fears has done a lot to assert himself and make it clear that he's a guy who belongs in the Pelicans' rotation from day one. New Orleans has players with more experience under their belts like Jordan Poole and Jose Alvarado in the backcourt, but it seems that Fears is quickly carving out his own path.
He's primed to get legitimate minutes as a backup point guard when the regular season begins next week, especially with Dejounte Murray still expected to miss the next few months. The way he was used in preseason suggests that the Pelicans' coaching staff doesn't just feel obligated to play Jeremiah out of wanting to develop him, but because they believe he can contribute to winning right away.
Over the last few weeks, we saw Fears going up against real NBA competition and not wavering. He executed pick-and-rolls well, got to his spots and played with a steady pace. This just further backs up the idea that he wasn't a reach with the seventh pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Jeremiah Fears is already one of New Orleans' top two reserves
There have already been plenty of signs of the immediate value that Jeremiah is going to bring to the table in New Orleans. I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical after draft night and Summer League, but he has quickly shifted my perspective as well as plenty of others. Fears is now looking less like he was selected too high, and more like he was the exact correct pick.
What's also encouraging is that Fears seems to be a great fit for what the Pelicans are going to try to do this season. His on-ball abilities and comfortability controlling the tempo offensively is going to mesh perfectly with New Orleans' pace and ball movement.
Of course, there's still areas of improvement for the young guard (efficiency comes to mind), and that should be seen as a positive as well. The fact that he looks ready to contribute in the immediate future while still carrying greater upside bodes very well for further down the road.
Jeremiah Fears is likely going to begin this season as one of the top guys coming off the Pelicans' bench. While he's not a surefire star just yet, the early returns are pointing toward him being much more than just a long-term project.