The Utah Jazz were hoping for a far more productive season after giving Lauri Markkanen his five-year extension. However, with the worst record in the NBA, their luck did not strike. Then, to make matters worse, rather than landing Cooper Flagg, Utah fell all the way to the No. 5 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.
However, falling to fifth is not a complete waste with the talent available in the 2025 NBA Draft class. Even at No. 5, the Jazz could still walk away with one of the best prospects available in the draft: Jeremiah Fears.
Jazz Projected to Select Jeremiah Fears After Missing Out on Cooper Flagg
Last season, the Jazz finished near the bottom five of the league in offensive rating. Despite Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen on the roster, consistent offense was not readily available for Utah. Some of that came down to the lack of a lead shot creator at the guard spot.
The Jazz may have lost the rights to draft Flagg, but with the No. 5 pick, they have a chance to give a massive boost to their shot creation by picking the 18-year-old Fears, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
“Fears, 18, had a spectacular freshman season, guiding Oklahoma to the NCAA tournament despite being one of the youngest players in college basketball,” Givony wrote. “His combination of size, speed, pace, shotmaking, and shot creation gives him significant long-term upside, as he can get anywhere on the floor to create for teammates while dishing on the move, finish skillfully in the lane, or head to the free throw line.”
“Fears’ youth, thin frame, and inconsistent finishing and decision-making will likely require patience from the team that drafts him, even if there is doubt around the significant star power he possesses, which will earn him looks much higher than this spot.”
Fears was impressive in his only season with the Oklahoma Sooners, averaging 17.2 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He earned SEC All-Freshman honors and was named to the Wooden Award midseason watch list.
There are concerns over Fears’ decision-making, but for a team that doesn’t have consistent guard play, adding an offensive cornerstone has to be a no-brainer.
PFSN’s Sterling Xie also predicted the Jazz would select a guard with the No. 5 overall pick in his latest NBA mock draft. He, however, went with Tre Johnson out of Texas, another U20 player with massive upside.
“Johnson led Texas in minutes (34.7) and points (19.9) per game as a freshman,” Xie wrote. “He could threaten for the title of best shooter in this class after hitting 39.7% of his 3s, many of which were off the dribble. That gives him massive offensive upside, which should keep Johnson from falling out of the top five.
“Johnson’s shot selection will need better judgment in the NBA, as the 6-foot-6 wing could have a harder time generating clean looks against bigger defenders. However, the Longhorns’ lack of spacing also hampered Johnson’s ability to get into the paint, and he certainly has the athleticism to do damage around the rim in a more functional offensive environment. The Jazz can provide more spacing, enhancing Johnson’s skill set.”
Fears didn’t have to wait long and was selected a spot below by the Washington Wizards in Xie’s mock.
“The Washington Wizards fell four spots from their pre-draft lottery position but could still end up with a foundational backcourt piece in Fears,” Xie wrote. “Washington ranked last in offensive efficiency this season, and Fears would be a significant boost to getting the Wizards out of the basement.”
