The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with the eighth overall pick in the Draft, meaning that they could bring in a talented player this summer. Brooklyn won’t be able to choose from players like Duke forward Cooper Flagg or Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but they might be able to select a guard who models his game after former Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
“I kind of modeled my game after Kyrie Irving, just the way he’s able to get to his spots and kind of rise up. You can’t stop Kyrie from getting to his spot,” Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears said on Wednesday during the NBA Draft Combine, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Fears is one of the players that is expected to go in the top-10 of the Draft and with Brooklyn possibly losing D’Angelo Russell in free-agency, they will be looking for a point guard.
“It’s not a bad idea. I actually like New York a little bit,” Fears explained when asked about potentially landing with a team like the Nets. “Yes, I met with Brooklyn. I worked out for Brooklyn as well. The conversations were great. They were just telling me how they think I could fit within their system and be an overall good piece for them.”
In his latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman projected Fears to go to the Utah Jazz with the first overall pick in the Draft. If Fears were to come off the board that soon, the Nets would have to pivot to someone like Maryland center Derik Queen or Duke forward Kon Knueppel, but there is a chance that Fears could be there for the taking at No. 8.
“Once Dylan Harper is off the board, teams interested in adding more backcourt creation, rim pressure and playmaking will focus their attention on Jeremiah Fears. Scouts are anticipating the 18-year-old drawing top-five consideration, particularly after he averaged 22.3 points and 4.8 assists over Oklahoma’s final nine games,” Wasserman wrote.
The fact that Fears has worked out for just the Nets and the Washington Wizards thus far, per Lewis, is a good thing for Brooklyn given that there seems to be a range established with where he could go. However, there is a possibility that Fears could go earlier than expected so if he is a player that Brooklyn wants, they may have to trade up from the eighth overall pick in order to get him.