3 Takeaways on MSU Hoops After Night 1 of Moneyball Pro-Am
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HOLT, Mich. -- Summer hoops in Lansing has officially begun.
The first night of the Moneyball Pro-Am on Tuesday at Holt High School was quite eventful. From a buzzer-beater off a Jeremy Fears Jr. assist to a kid walking around getting an original PlayStation signed by Michigan State players, there was a lot to take in. These are the three things on my mind the most afterward, though:
Fears' Explosiveness
MSU's star point guard may have gotten even better. Fears' first step looked a little bit quicker during Tuesday's competition. He rose for an alley-oop dunk (the recipient of a lob for once) and got his head closer to the rim than any other dunk I've seen him make during his time with the Spartans.
Explosiveness was one of the things Fears was known for coming out of high school. He had to build from the ground up after being shot in the leg during his true freshman season. Saying there is a "silver lining" to being shot would feel insensitive, but losing that part of his game for a time forced Fears to look at the game from a different perspective.
"I think it helped me be creative and find different ways [to contribute]," Fears said after his game. "I think a lot of my stuff in high school was being explosive and making quick moves. So now I've had a year or two of being creative and getting good shots and being poised with the pace and changing speeds."
"So, just being able to have that, and now you're able to add the bounce. I feel like it's God's plan. Everything's coming together at the right time."
Fears won't be dunking at the rate of Coen Carr this coming season, but don't be surprised if he throws it down more often. A quicker first step will only make him better at both scoring and passing. Once Fears gets past his primary man-to-man defender, the next guy, likely a big in the paint, will have to choose between giving Fears a short floater or a lob to whichever center is out there.
Fears hopes that getting all his explosiveness back can be the "last aspect" he needs before becoming fully NBA-ready. An improved three-point shot is also needed, but Fears has shown that he's close to breaking through there with his elite free-throw shooting and mid-range game.
Bigger Bodies
A few players have also seemed to have gotten bigger during the offseason. Jordan Scott's arms and shoulders are noticeably bigger than what I remember from this past March. Fears also seems to have gained some additional poundage in his upper body, something that should help him as a guard who has never been afraid to get in the paint and draw fouls.
Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke also looked a bit bigger, at least compared to what I remember looking at on tape. That is important for somebody who is 7'2" and so new to the sport. Plenty of raw talent at that height is really skinny and plays with a level of clumsiness. That's not the sense I get when I watched Bonke play in person for the first time.
Look Out for Medlock
I also came away pretty impressed with the game of incoming freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. Both he and Jasiah Jervis could form a very interesting backcourt duo in their first seasons in college. Medlock had largely been looked at as the backup point guard to Fears this season, and nothing else, for a while.
Those plans should change. Medlock's different skill set and Fears' added size and explosiveness make the possibility of both point guards being on the court at once very plausible. Fears is, of course, the pass-first guy and could only ever really slide to the two defensively if the opponent is playing a smaller lineup. Medlock is smaller at about 5'11", but is just a natural scorer who I think would be getting used improperly if he's only getting the 10 minutes a game where Fears rests.
"Probably a combo [guard]," Medlock answered when asked what role he envisions as a freshman. "If I come off the bench, I'll probably come in for Fears and lead that team. And if I play with him, just play off the ball and just be the help that he needed last season."
I also liked what I saw from incoming freshman Julius Avent. He's got a bit of an uphill climb to real playing time this season, but I think Avent will surprise some people as someone who has been overlooked a little bit because he's the lowest-rated member of the Spartans' freshman class.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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