MSU's Fears, Carr React to Appearance on SLAM Magazine

EAST LANSING, Mich. --- A pair of Michigan State's stars are starring in one of basketball's most popular publications.

On Friday, SLAM announced that MSU's Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr would be featured on the publication's "SLAMU" spinoff for college basketball. The publication made multiple posts about it on their Instagram page, which currently boasts 4.5 million followers.

This isn't just about the wins, it’s about the way they do it. Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr bought into Tom Izzo’s plan and now the leadership’s louder, the dunks are crazier, the vision’s crystal clear.

The Spartan Dawgs cover SLAMU: https://t.co/frE4lnrgwy pic.twitter.com/ssiMQM8UCF
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 6, 2026

Fears and Carr are the two most well-known players on this year's team, which is ranked eighth in the country and currently sits at 25-5 overall and 15-4 during Big Ten play, so it makes lots of sense that they'd be chosen for this endeavor.

Carr seems to go viral every game for his electrifying dunks that feel like they're worth a lot more than two points, while Fears runs the show and leads the nation at 9.1 assists per game.

Mar 5, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr (55) flies toward the rim for a dunk during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

SLAM also has a lot of cultural relevance. It's a big deal to be featured like this in the basketball world. The magazine was founded in the '90s and has featured numerous NBA greats on its covers over the years.

How Carr, Fears Reacted

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. gets back on defense against Indiana on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

"That was fire," Fears said about being on the cover. "Me and Coen, they had brought it to us, and I was like, 'For sure, no problem.' That's just something growing up as a kid you see, and you used to see the SLAM magazines with the highly touted players, and you couldn't wait to look at the pictures and the Instagram [posts] and all that. It was pretty cool just to see myself on there. It was special."

While Fears is probably Michigan State's MVP, the casual fan is probably more familiar with Carr. It's perfectly understandable.

Michigan State's Coen Carr celebrates after three dunks in a row against Rutgers during the second half on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Carr's highlight tape from his first two seasons at MSU recently made the rounds again online, and those who already weren't aware... well, had been made aware. It's so impressive that he's probably partially desensitized diehard Spartan fans to how impressively athletic he is.

"Having a SLAM cover is definitely something to check off the bucket list, for sure," Carr said. "It was great that me and Fears got the chance to do that. I've been looking at them since I was young."

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo talks to the fans during the senior night ceremony after the Spartans win over Rutgers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is sort of the thing that people imagine when NIL first became a thing in college sports: players being featured on the covers of magazines or in commercials. Additionally, SLAM is selling an assortment of merchandise from the cover announcement. A link to all the options can be found RIGHT HERE.

Michigan State's Coen Carr battles in the post against Rutgers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI