For possibly the only time in his career, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears is being praised after a showing that saw him miss 12 shots.
The Pelicans traveled overseas to Australia for their first two games of the NBA preseason. It was a successful trip all around, but Fears in particular had some impactful minutes over the first two games.
It was the first on-court action against non-teammates since the Summer League for the former Oklahoma Sooners standout, and the results were mixed. That may actually end up being a good thing for his development.
Fears came out of the gate aggressive. It was no shock to anyone who had watched him play basketball before. He's a hooper; he's going to get his shots up. And when they weren't falling, he didn't stop.
Obviously, no one wants to see a guard come off the bench and shoot 3-of-15. During a player's first preseason action, though, you can sort of get a pass. It is just a glimpse into a positive mindset for someone who is still a few days away from turning 18.
One has to imagine that the shots start falling at some point, but confidence and willingness are two things that are harder to teach. New Orleans head coach Willie Green was happy to see him still charging the basket.
"We want [Fears] in attack mode, simply. When he steps on the floor, we want [him] in attack mode, playing with his speed," said Green. "Looking at him, being 18 years old and already having the confidence that he has, thatt's extremely tough to do."
When speaking to the Pelicans head coach about Fears, it's clear that there is a level of respect there already. He never fails to mention how impressed with the level of maturity and presence that the guard has at his young age.
According to Fears, that's been the messaging from his coach that has helped him stay grounded early on.
"Shots weren't falling in the first game, but he was in my ear telling me that nobody does this at 18, nobody has been in [my] shoes. So just continue to stay aggressive and continue to keep learning. I think that went a long way for me," said the rookie.
The messaging clearly worked as Fears was able to come out during their second preseason game as a starter and had a much cleaner night on the court, as a starter nonetheless. He had 12 points and three assists in 24 minutes on 5-of-10 shooting from the field.
Overall, it was a successful first couple of nights of preseason action for Fears. He saw some shots go in, reacted well to them not going in and logged his first start.
Fears doesn't lack confidence. That could carry him far in his career, because he has the work ethic to match it. He's made a quick impact on his coaches and teammates; surely the fans won't be too far behind.
"[He's] fearless. You know, he's a go-getter and he's very coachable. When people give him advice, he takes it and implements it immediately. He's someone I definitely look forward to competing with on the court," said star Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.
Fears is just a rookie, so it's unclear how big of a role he will have this year. Especially once Dejounte Murray returns. He's helping himself out early, though.