The Nets are going to start their rebuild with the eighth pick in next month’s NBA draft, and the player they’re most often linked with is Jeremiah Fears.
If the electrifying point guard’s game and star-power swagger look familiar, they should.
He patterned himself after Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn’s former All-Star.
“I kind of modeled my game after Kyrie Irving, just the way he’s able to get to his spots and kind of rise up. You can’t stop Kyrie from getting to his spot,” said Fears, who also emulates Stephen Curry and Anthony Edwards.
An 18-year-old freshman who starred at Oklahoma, Fears was speaking Wednesday at the draft combine in Chicago. It was two days after the Nets had fallen to eighth in the lottery, a spot where Fears might be the best feasible option for them.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Fears smiled. “I actually like New York a little bit.”
Brooklyn almost certainly would like him.
Predicted to be selected as high as fifth in ESPN’s mock draft, Fears was tabbed to land in Brooklyn by The Athletic, SB Nation, CBS Sports and Draft Digest. So far, he’s only worked out for the Nets and Wizards.
“Yes, I met with Brooklyn. I worked out for Brooklyn as well,” Fears said. “The conversations were great. They were just telling me how they think I could fit within their system and be an overall good piece for them.”
Of course, with the Nets being a blank slate in desperate need of high-end talent, they don’t need to worry about roster fit. And Fears would clearly provide a potential primary ball handler for coach Jordi Fernández to develop.
The position has been a revolving door ever since Irving left. Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Schröder and D’Angelo Russell have all been short-term fixes. Fears could be a long-term answer.
“I can bring star power to any team. I know that,” Fears said. “So just continuing to trust my work, believe in myself.”
Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season. But carrying a huge burden on a middling Oklahoma team hurt his efficiency, shooting 43.4 percent overall and just 28.4 percent from deep with 3.4 turnovers a game.
That shooting did come on late, as did his steal rate. But if Fears lands with the Nets — or most of the teams in the lottery — he’d again find himself carrying a heavy workload in a losing situation. How would he handle being on such a rebuilding team?
“Just continue to do what I can do, put myself in the best position possible, put my team in this position possible,” Fears shrugged. “So we’re going to continue work whether we’re winning or not, going to continue to give our all every single game.”
Like Irving, Fears has shown an ability to get in the paint at will. His finishing around the rim — and his defense — would be helped by adding weight to his lithe 6-foot-4 frame.
“I won’t say area of weakness, but just continue to build my body. It’s going to be a lot. So just prepare myself for the next step,” Fears said. “Really just the weight room, for real. Just continue to live in the weight room and continue to build my body.
“I weigh 183 right now. I’m trying to get to potentially 190. I wouldn’t be mad at 185, but I’m trying to get to 190.”
Clearly, Fears is a project. But he is a high-upside swing for a team such as Brooklyn that can afford to be patient.
“Jeremiah has tremendous speed in the full-court combined with a great knack for scoring at all three levels,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said.
And confidence. An abundance of it.
“They should be expecting a dog, somebody that brings star power,” Fears said. “I fear no one, and I’m attacking everybody.”
