Basketball: Joliet West grad Jeremy Fears Jr. addresses media for the first time since December shooting

Michigan State guard and former Joliet West star Jeremy Fears Jr. addressed the media Wednesday for the first time since being shot in the leg while home in Joliet in December. His overall message: Being out has been tough, but he’ll be back soon.

“Life throws challenges at you, and you’ve got to overcome them,” Fears told MLive.com on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Everybody has roadblocks. This is just something that I’m going to get over, and it’s going to make me a better person and a better player in the long run.”

As a senior at Joliet West in 2023, Fears was not just one of the top recruits in the area, but in the nation with 247Sports ranking him as the 31st top overall prospect in the country.

He committed to Michigan State and was averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 assists per game off the bench for the Spartans in the 12 games he played as a true freshman.

Fears’ freshman season came to an end Dec. 23 when while home in Joliet for Christmas he was shot in the leg while at a friend’s house. He was rushed to surgery and ruled out for the remainder of the year.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has given occasional updates the past three months on Fears’ progress, but Wednesday, ahead of the Spartans’ NCAA Tournament opener, was the first time since the shooting Fears had spoken publicly.

“It’s been a process,” Fears said. “It’s been a lot of long months, already it’s been about three, 3 1/2. It’s been week by week, just getting better every day.”

Fears has not yet been cleared to resume basketball activities with hopes of being approved for such activities this summer. He’s progressed to the point of being able to run and jump and was seen taking jump shots Wednesday on the eve of Michigan State’s victory against Mississippi State.

Izzo has been impressed with Fears’ recovery and attitude throughout the process.

“He’s been the most positive guy,” Izzo said. “He’s been really good for me because he just works every day. He’s rehabbed every day. He’s going to get to go through layups and everything, which is a miracle for what he’s been through, and I’m excited for him in the future”

Michigan State entered March Madness as a No. 9 seed after finishing the regular season 19-14. The Spartans began what they hope will be a Cinderella run with a 69-51 victory over the Bulldogs on Thursday morning to tip off the tournament. They’ll play top-seeded North Carolina in the next round.