“Fears, man, he’s very aggressive. I like his vision. At the end of the day, he’s getting downhill whenever he wants. Very dynamic player. He’s got that dog in him too, man”. Not everyone gets this level of praise from Indiana Pacers star Myles Turner. Then again, not everyone is like Jeremiah Fears. A member of the 2024–25 Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team, Fears made his mark in college basketball by averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and assists in 34 games. Right from the start of his freshman season, he created a reputation by being quick on the dribble, possessing the strength to go to the rim and finish, and operating well in the pick-and-roll as a scorer and passer. While his  28.4% shooting left room for improvement, there is no denying that this young talent is set to go far.

And he has already taken the first step. The New Orleans Pelicans selected Jeremiah Fears with the 7th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As he navigates the challenging battlefield that the league is, why don’t we take a look at his support system and a few other details?

Who are Jeremiah Fears’ parents?

Jeremiah Fears was born on October 14, 2006, in Joliet, Illinois, to Jeremy Fears Sr. and Sekia. His elder brother, Jeremy Fears Jr., revealed in a 2022 interview that their mother was from Chicago, while their father? A Joliet native. This makes both Fears Sr. and Sekia American Nationals. Basketball was certainly in the family blood as not only Jeremiah and Jeremy Jr., but their dad, aunt, and grandma also played basketball during their early days. No details are provided on either of the parents’ ethnicity.

Who is Jeremiah Fears’ father?

Jeremiah Fears’ father, aka Jeremy Fears Sr., might very well be the person who inspired both him and his elder brother to pursue basketball. Fears Sr. played an especially active role in Jeremiah’s development and career path, closely managing his sons’ basketball journeys with a long-term vision. In fact, he had his sights set on Jeremiah being part of the 2025 NBA Draft even before the young guard had played a college game. Not surprisingly, given back in the day, the 39-year-old certainly left a mark in college basketball at Athens and Peoria.

Before getting into college, Fears Sr. reportedly averaged 23.5 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals per game in his senior season at Joliet Township High School. Jeremiah would also later go on to attend the same high school. On top of basketball, Fears Sr. was also an all-state player in football. In the end, however, he decided to place his focus solely on one sport.

Jeremy Fears Sr. played for Ohio University for two seasons (2004-06). He transferred to Bradley University in the middle of his last season, but did not play any games for the Bradley Braves men’s basketball team. He was reportedly part of Ohio’s Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team. Throughout 51 games, he started in 43 of them, and averaged 10.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals. By the time he left Ohio University, the player had secured Mid-American Conference (MAC) All-Freshman honors!

As highlighted by ‘Pro Football Network’, Jeremy Sr. played professional basketball across Europe for six seasons. He alternated between several different clubs, like DEAC (Hungary), Enea Basket Poznan (Poland), Bosco Bulls (Austria), Kavalas (Greece), Nurnberg Falcons BC (Germany), etc. However, as Jeremiah revealed in an interview, his father chose to put raising him and his siblings over his professional basketball career.

“My father played a huge role for me and my brothers,” Jeremiah said in an interview on SLAM. “He’s been there in the journey every single step. He’s been doing everything to put us in a position in the end of the day.” Jeremy Fears Sr.’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain. In fact, they are all the more sweet because in conversations during the summer of 2024, Fears Sr. expressed confidence that his son would be NBA-ready by 2025—a belief many thought premature. But his vision proved correct. Jeremiah exceeded expectations at Oklahoma, validated his father’s foresight, and achieved a feat that neither his father nor his elder brother came close to. What more could a father want?

Who is Jeremiah Fears’ mother, Sekia?

Unfortunately, unlike his father, not much information is provided about Jeremiah Fears’ mother in the public domain. However, similarly to her husband, Sekia Fears continues to remain an important part of her children’s basketball journey. She stood behind Jeremy Fears Jr., along with the rest of the family, when he signed the offer to join Michigan State.

Both Fears Sr. and Sekia were visiting Providence College in Rhode Island, with Jeremiah, when they learned that Jeremy Jr. had been shot in the leg while on holiday break in his hometown. Sekia had received a text at 4 a.m. from her son, informing her about what happened. She took the responsibility of informing the media about any updates regarding her son.

What is Jeremiah Fears’ ethnicity?

There is no available information on Jeremiah Fears’ ethnicity in the public domain. Several online profiles and articles only highlight his nationality, but not his race or ancestral background. Jeremiah Fears himself has not publicly spoken about this. As a result, his ethnicity remains officially unspecified.

What is Jeremiah Fears’ nationality?

Both the official profiles of the NBA and FIBA list Jeremiah Fears’ nationality as American. It is why he was also able to represent the United States Under-18 basketball team at the 2024 FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup. Throughout 6 games, he averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. His 3.0 steals were a team-high stat. Through his contribution and that of his teammates, Team USA secured Gold that year.

As mentioned earlier, Jeremiah Fears played basketball at Joliet West High School. Jeremy Jr., his older brother, was also in the same school. Eventually, however, Jeremiah transferred to Arizona Compass Prep (Chandler, Arizona) for his junior year. Originally, Fears had committed to Illinois over Kansas and Michigan. However, he decommitted in July 2024, reclassified to the Class of 2024, and instead joined the University of Oklahoma—skipping his senior year of high school. The decision drew skepticism at the time, with many doubting whether the young guard was ready for top-level college basketball.

But Fears quickly silenced critics. Despite being rated a four-star recruit (ranked 44th by Rivals, 64th by 247Sports, and 40th by ESPN), he delivered standout performances in big games—dropping 29 points against Georgia, 26 against Arizona, and making a game-changing four-point play to lead Oklahoma past Michigan in overtime.

After just one college season, he declared for the NBA Draft and, as we all saw, was selected 7th overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. And if that isn’t enough, Fears became the fourth player from Joliet, Illinois, to reach the NBA, joining George Mikan, Ed Mikan, and Roger Powell Jr.

No pressure, but the 18-year-old is more than capable of handling it. After all, Jeremiah Fears’ basketball journey has only begun. The more he progresses through the NBA, the more he will make his father feel that the sacrifice was worth it.