Michigan State basketball is in a bit of a funk right now, and Tom Izzo knows it. After a second straight underwhelming performance - this time against a 10-12 Minnesota team that barely had a bench - the Hall of Fame head coach didn’t explode at the podium. But you could feel the disappointment simmering just beneath the surface.
“Weird game,” Izzo called it. But the real message came when he talked about his veterans and, more pointedly, about sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears.
“Jeremy’s gotta grow up a little bit,” Izzo said, and he didn’t stop there. He even floated the possibility that Fears might not start in Saturday’s top-10 showdown against Illinois.
That’s a big statement. Fears has been a core piece of this team, logging major minutes and playing at a high level for stretches this season. But Izzo’s not just looking at the box score - he’s watching how his young guard carries himself on the court, and lately, that’s where the concern lies.
Let’s be clear: Jeremy Fears is a high-level talent. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, the kind that puts him in the All-American conversation when he’s locked in. But there’s also been a creeping tendency to get caught up in the mental games - the extracurriculars that don’t show up in the stat sheet but can shift momentum in the wrong direction.
Izzo’s comments weren’t about one play or one game. They were about a pattern.
And when a coach like Izzo - who’s seen just about everything college basketball can throw at a man - calls for a player to “grow up,” it’s not about punishment. It’s about development.
It’s a challenge.
Fears may not like the idea of coming off the bench in a marquee matchup, but this could be the kind of moment that defines a season. Not because of the minutes he plays, but because of how he responds.
Izzo’s not benching him to send a message to the team - he’s sending a message to Fears: You’re too good to be distracted by antics. Let your game do the talking.
And make no mistake, Fears has the game. He’s been a difference-maker all year.
But when the focus shifts from his play to the mental warfare - the little jabs, the reputation-building stuff - it takes away from what he’s really capable of. It’s a distraction, not just for him, but for the team.
Izzo knows that. He’s seen players with Fears’ fire before. He’s also seen how quickly that fire can burn out of control if it’s not harnessed the right way.
So now, the ball’s in Fears’ court. This isn’t about being labeled a “dirty” player - that’s noise.
This is about maturing into the kind of leader Michigan State needs down the stretch. The kind who doesn’t just make plays, but makes the right plays.
The kind who doesn’t get pulled into the drama, but pulls his team through it.
If Fears takes that next step - and all signs suggest he’s capable - this little bump in the road could end up being the turning point. Not just for him, but for a Michigan State team that still has everything to play for.
Izzo’s challenge has been issued. Now we wait to see how Fears answers.