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Does Jeremiah Fears Reclassifying For 2024 Prove The Illini Have Too Much Talent?

Shandel Richardson|
Dec 1, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Compass Prep guard Jeremiah Fears (2) drives to the basket against Wasatch Academy center Augustine Ekwe (44) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Chaparral High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Compass Prep guard Jeremiah Fears (2) drives to the basket against Wasatch Academy center Augustine Ekwe (44) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Chaparral High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illinois Fighting Illini thought highly-touted guard Jeremiah Fears would become part of their 2025 recruiting class.

A month after de-committing from Illinois, Fears chose to attend Oklahoma on Saturday. He also reclassified for 2024 so he can play this season.

"I feel I am ready to take the next step and reclass up in 2024 and be a freshman in college," Fears told ESPN.com. "I know I have a lot of work to do, especially on my body and in the film room. I have spoken with a lot of NBA players. My goal is to play in the NBA. They told me how I need to put my head down and work."

Could Fears' decision to back out on Illinois been based on too much talent in Champaign? He decided to leave a few weeks after the Illini reeled in top recruit Will Riley, who also reclassified for this season after committing. Riley and Fears are both guards.

The Illini also have several talented newcomers who will compete for playing time. Coach Brad Underwood said he is more than up for the tough task of dealing with a stacked roster. He believes it beats the alternative of not having enough.

"I'm not going to buy that you can have too much," Underwood said earlier this summer. "That's a cop out. People who say that are people who don't have it. We'll figure it out."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here