For a rookie point guard, the pace of the NBA game is often the biggest shock to the system. For the rebuilding New Orleans Pelicans and phenomenal first-round pick Jeremiah Fears, the revelation has been learning when to hit the breaks. As the regular season ends, the 19-year-old says the most important knowledge he has gained in his first 60 games has been mastering the art of deception through speed.
That's why Fears has spent the past several weeks exploiting his elite athleticism rather than highlighting it at every turn. At least that was the first thing to be said when asked why things were going well lately.
"Through my speed, playing with speed. I think two months ago, I was just trying to use my speed. Now it's learning when to use my speed, when to attack and get downhill, attacking angles, attack spots, and knowing where you're trying to get on the floor. I'm manipulating the defense," Fears began. "I think I've been doing a pretty good job of it since the All-Star break. So, just continuing to learn, continuing to slow the game down and make the game a lot easier for myself."
At the beginning of the season, Fiers often tried to dominate defenders with pure acceleration. While that approach sometimes produced highlight plays in transition, it also led to tough shots and hasty decisions in the half-court.
Veteran NBA defenses adjusted quickly, forcing rookie guards into competitive situations by sitting in driving lanes. The experience forced Fear to think about how he used his physical equipment. Instead of attacking at maximum speed on every possession, he has started to vary the pace and wait for defenders to shift before increasing the pace. The adjustments have helped them create a better look for everyone.
"That's huge. Being able to pick and choose when you should use your speed is definitely huge because it will definitely trick the defense," Fears said. “I'm fast, so most of the time they'll be thinking, "Okay, he's going to try to get down there." So, they'll be intimidated by my speed.”
Fear is forcing defenders into uncomfortable positions before they can properly set themselves up, creating more advantageous angles and open driving lanes than could be generated from raw speed alone. As the Pelicans play the final weeks of a challenging season, the speedster is focused on refining that balance. While his playmaking has evolved, the former Oklahoma player remains conscious of areas that need improvement.
"I'm just continuing to play with that speed and choose when I need to use my speed. Maybe on breaks or in plays where the defense turns heads, use my speed," Fears explained. "The last few games, I've been turning over a little too much, so I definitely need to cut down on the turnovers. Watch a little extra film and make sure I continue to take care of the ball. Try not to have too many turnovers. At the end of the day, those turnovers can lead to some easy baskets that you can take and potentially open up games."
The Pelicans can deal with rookie turnovers, as long as Fiers does not play a timid role, everything should fall into place moving forward. He is averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 36.1% from three-point range over the last eight games. This is one way to break the rookie wall while shuffling between the starting lineup and a bench role. But statistics don't tell the whole story. What really matters is that his All-Rookie contributions to this point have displayed many franchise cornerstone characteristics.
