is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. Currently writing for SB Nation and FanSided, he has covered the and athletics since 2024 and graduated from Utah Valley University.

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Come on, ride the train
Hey, ride it!
Come on, ride the train
Hey, ride it!
—Quad City DJ’s - C’mon ‘N Ride It (The Train)

Don’t you just love it when lyricism combines into pure poetry?

Who would have thought that drafting with the 5th overall pick could be such a headache? With enough swirling possibilities in motion to make your head spin The Exorcist-style, how much longer can we bear to gargle possibilities with stipulations before swallowing some mysterious concoction we had yet to even consider?

Ace Bailey may yet be available at the fifth pick — a miraculous result from the group-think of a few weeks ago — but have left Bailey smelling like aging leftovers. Should the Jazz pick him anyway and deal with the fallout, or let him fly down his self-imposed slip-n-slide?

Tre Johnson once seemed the natural pick at 5, but doubts about his upside as a defender and versatility on the offensive end have many suspecting his ceiling may be lower than expected.

Even the Kon Knueppel route seems questionable at this point, with rumors about Charlotte’s invested interest whittling away at Utah’s hopes to land the Duke standout. But then again, the Hornets’ curiosity may be , after all.

Adding hot sauce to the enchilada, Khaman Maluach may likewise be an underrated specimen at the center position — so much so that Utah could go full Azubuike and take a swing despite being well-established at the 5.

...Is it too late to shuffle the lottery again? This would all be so much easier if Cooper Flagg were a possibility.

There remains one name that I’ve grown fond of as the drafting process continues, however. Perhaps not the most popular player to be selected as high as fifth, and one of the riskier prospects in the projected lottery, but a hooper whose workouts have garnered glowing praise and even a .

The Jazz have helped themselves to a double-dose of Jeremiah Fears; they checked him out once before looking over their shoulders for another look. If his rights are still up for grabs come the fifth selection, there is a very real chance that Austin Ainge makes his first impression by snagging Jeremiah Fears. Even Utah has this Sooner in their scope.

So with a head full of steam, is it time to hop aboard the Jeremiah Fears Express?

Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In the immortal words of NBA Jam’s Tim Kitzrow, “HE’S ON FIRE!”

NBA Jam | Giphy

Fears has been making waves across the NBA Draft universe after mercilessly performing cannonball after cannonball in the . Performing notably under the watchful eyes of Utah’s executives, Fears has projected as a dynamic enough prospect to play initiator and finisher.

With a yo-yo handle and compensating burst of pure athleticism, Fears’ ball skills are certainly NBA-grade. And as the second-youngest player in his class, he projects to improve steadily once through the gates of the league.

An exceptional attacker with a vicious first step, this product of the Land of Lincoln is a pest to resist as he frequently fights to the rim to finish with a velvety touch. Like the current MVP, Fears’ tenacity in attacking the rack gets him to the foul line regularly (10th in the NCAA last season in foul shots made), providing him with plenty of time to reset and gather himself before violently tormenting the defense once more.

Like a loose dog during a home renovation, Jeremiah is a walking paint touch. His movements leave a print on the scrambling defense, and his scattered tracks will force his adversaries to second-guess themselves in an attempt to slow him down and limit further damage.

The Jeremiah Fears express is quickly leaving the station, and if Utah doesn’t punch their ticket, one of their immediate followers won’t hesitate to reserve a seat. And if the NBA Draft is a train station stuffed with soulless Tom Hanks animations, Fears is .

Take a sip.

Let’s be civil for a moment, and take a beat to reflect on why this kid doesn’t realistically project any higher than he does right now. Calm down, you in the back.

The biggest issue is that, well, he’s not big. That’s the issue. Standing at 6’2” barefoot is well enough, especially against other point guards who likely stand only an inch or two taller, but the precedent for small players flourishing at the next level is limited to the occasional flash in the pan or pure individual instance.

He’s bigger than an Isaiah Thomas (or Isiah Thomas, for that matter), and he had a brief moment of basketball dominance, but does he project to have a career anything comparable to a Chris Paul, or modern-day Jalen Brunson?

The Jazz are determined to build a championship-caliber starting 5. In selecting Fears in the top 5, they’d be declaring a vote of confidence that he can be a crucial ingredient in their recipe for a title.

His excellent athleticism makes up some of the difference, that’s for sure, and he projects better as an off-ball perimeter defender than most give him credit for, as he hoarded 1.6 steals a night during his freshman year. On an already weak front line for the Jazz, however, it would take some time before Jeremiah becomes truly reliable on the defensive end.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Back on offense, there’s no denying that he’s been prone to shooting an inconsistent ball. He shot 28% from deep and 43% from the field as the number one option in Norman, which is difficult to explain away. I am one to argue that his jumper projects to improve as he seems the type to be a good shot maker, if only he can mature enough to develop into a good shot taker.

Adding his affinity for turnovers with 3.4 cough-ups per game brings up a reasonable concern about his similarities to current Jazzman Keyonte George (whom I absolutely adore, but even I can’t ignore his most glaring shortcomings).

Still, the pieces are there and actually tangible to project Fears as, at the very least, a likely starting-caliber player in the National Basketball Association. That is something that has yet to be confirmed regarding nearly all of Utah’s recent draft selections.

With all that being said, I’m prepared to hear Fears’ name called with the Utah Jazz’s pick. It may be time you do the same.