Jeremiah Fears has had a rookie season filled with ups and downs. After a strong start, he earned a starting role just three games into the season, a role he would hold for 43 consecutive games. But after we saw him start to hit the rookie wall, the coaching staff decided to send him back to the bench, a move that may have saved his rookie season.
In his final five games as a starter, Fears was averaging 9.4 points, while shooting sub-37 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three-point land. He wasn't finishing at the rim—he couldn't space the floor—he looked overwhelmed and needed a reset. When you have a young guard that is still very raw, like Fears, a lot of their flaws come from playing too fast and trying to do more than they are capable of. So what's a great way to slow things down for that player? Have them come off the bench.
Since Fears has been put on the bench, his processing has improved, the assist-to-turnover rate looks far better, he's scoring with confidence, and he is just playing with way more control.
The rookie is back on track
Over his last 11 games coming off the bench, Fears is averaging 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. His assist-to-turnover ratio looks like 4.4 assists to 2.8 turnovers, and while it's not elite yet, it represents measurable progress.
Several recent performances show that growth: eight assists to one turnover against Miami, five assists to two TOs versus Golden State, and six assists to two TOs against Philadelphia.
You can see when watching Fears, especially lately, coming off the bench he's playing with far greater control. The game appears to have slowed down for him, and because of that, his control over the ball has improved immensely. Having him come off the bench allows him to start the game watching from the sidelines and see how he can impact the game, rather than being thrown into the fire. This control has also really improved his scoring and touch around the rim. On Sunday against the Clippers, he twice got downhill and finished through traffic with the shot clock winding down.
From a defensive standpoint, he's been competing at a higher level on that end, and he ranks fourth on the team in defensive rating over that 11-game stretch.
The change in role appears to have reignited what was beginning to stall. A 13-point, 10-rebound, 8-assist performance against Miami highlighted the all-around ability that made him a long-term piece in the first place.
For a player viewed as the point guard of the future in New Orleans, this stretch is significant. Seeing his development get back on track is huge, and it's a reminder that sometimes progression requires a role change. The decision to move Fears to the bench has proven beneficial and has him in a great position to finish the season strong and carry real momentum into next year.