Club 520 Podcast – Jeremiah Fears on NBA Draft, HOOPING with Pelicans & Being a STAR at Oklahoma

Episode Date: February 14, 2026
Hosts: Jeff Teague, DJ Wells, Bishop B Henn
Guest: Jeremiah Fears

Episode Overview

In this engaging All-Star Weekend episode, the Club 520 crew sits down with breakout NBA rookie Jeremiah Fears. The group dives into Fears’ basketball journey—from family roots in hoops and AAU battles, to starring at Oklahoma, navigating the NBA draft process, and adapting to the league as an emerging guard with the New Orleans Pelicans. Fears brings candid, energetic stories about self-confidence, pressure, rivalries, and adjusting to the NBA grind, with hosts Jeff Teague, DJ Wells, and Bishop B Henn steering the conversation with humor and authentic hoops insight.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family Hooper Roots & Early Days

• Indy Heat, Family Ties, and AAU Memories

  • Fears shares how battling his older brother hardened his motor and hunger for competition.
  • “Playing against my older brother… he was always bigger, stronger than me, he was never taking it easy… Once I finally start getting bigger and stronger, I just took it and ran with it.” (05:00)

• AAU Exposure & Journey to Indy Heat

  • Fears recounts his playing years with Indy Heat, talking about how he joined the team and his brother’s influence on the decision.
  • “I just came from Brad Bill and Indy Heat reached out… my older brother played with them the year before, so ended up switching up a little bit.” (04:24)

2. High School Success & College Transition

• Jump from High School to Oklahoma

  • Fears reflects on confidence gained from “playing up” against older kids and his transition to collegiate ball.
  • “Once I got to college, it was basically the same thing…still had the confidence to go out there and do what I’m capable of doing.” (06:07)

• Choosing Oklahoma and SEC fit

  • The decision process for picking a college was tough, but he felt Oklahoma’s staff and conference aligned best with his game.
  • “Picking a college…you go to the wrong situation, coach might not rock with you…definitely picking the right school was big for me.” (06:40)
  • “The SEC was the best fit for my game, my playstyle.” (07:01)

3. Observations on College Growth: Strength, Team Culture, Eating Habits

• Weight Room & Development

  • “First week I get switched on the big…he trying to post me up, I’m like, man, this strong…After that, I was good.” (07:16)
  • Details on college weight training and diet. Gained 10–12 pounds quickly, emphasizing college programming’s intensity.

• Team Culture and “Buying In”

  • Positive, supportive teammates made success possible: “Sometimes it be tough, they could be hating…But my teammates, they was happy for me. We was out there doing it together.” (09:15)

• Freshman Stardom & Confidence

  • Fears reveals he quickly realized he was NBA-bound:
    • “Second week, I texted my dad…I’m going top five. He was like, you think so? I said, I know so.” (10:41)

4. Rivalries, Highlights, and ‘Business’ of College Basketball

• Rivalry Environment

  • “In the NBA [compared to college], the student sections…being creative. They might got your mama on the post, girlfriend…But at the end of the day…it was adding fuel to the fire.” (13:03)

• Memorable Opponents & Grudge Matches

  • “We played Georgia first…fans and players talking wild…ended up seeing them in the SEC tournament. I destroyed them.” (14:08)
  • “[Kentucky]—player transferred from Oklahoma, made game-winners on us twice…He had ran full court and just threw it up with the left…No way he just gamed us like that.” (15:05)

5. Draft Process & Jump to the NBA

• Workouts & Conditioning

  • Discussed the intensity of NBA pre-draft workouts: “Utah…the air out there already different. Three-minute run…from one end to the other, full speed for three minutes. By the time you get to like 20, your legs and body about to give out.” (16:25)

• Draft Night Emotions

  • “Your heart was racing…you just sitting at that table…Once I seen all the cameras…put my head down like I’m about to get drafted.” (18:03)

• Joining the Pelicans

  • Confirmed New Orleans was one of the four teams he worked out for and discussed how different NBA situations can shake out unexpectedly. (18:59)

6. Adjusting as a Rookie in the NBA

• Speed of the Game

  • “Definitely the speed of the game [is the biggest adjustment]…Once the game slows down, it gets easier. Starting to understand coverages, reads, scout reports…” (19:38)

• First Big NBA Paycheck

  • “I think I was sitting in the bed…that joint did count, I got up and started dancing. Everybody was like, why you dancing? I’m like, bro, don’t worry about.” (20:09)

• On-Court Mentality and Talking Trash

  • “You can’t just be talking if you ain’t doing nothing. So, we gotta back it up a little bit…keep showing what you’re capable of, don’t be afraid of matchups.” (21:25)

7. Star Matchups and Locker Room Lessons

• Facing NBA Superstars

  • First “damn, I’m here” moment was playing against Kevin Durant.
    • “Played him preseason, but he wasn’t really trying…once the season came, you playing great defense…he catch that joint, take that one dribble and rise up…still bottom…He don’t even see you.” (22:29)

• Veteran Mentorship

  • Names DeAndre Jordan, Dejounte Murray, and teammates “Z,” Trey as providing key guidance for adapting to the league.
  • “Some don’t play our position, but they know what they’re talking about…learning the refs, the league system…Definitely learned a lot so far.” (23:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On what confidence looks like:

  • “I texted my dad…second week, I’m going top five. He was like, you think so? I said, I know so.” (10:41, Jeremiah Fears)

• On team support in college:

  • “My teammates…happy for me whether it was a good game, bad game…If I did have a bad game: ‘You good, bro, you gonna shake back.’ I think that went a long way.” (09:15, Jeremiah Fears)

• On rivalry trash talk:

  • “The student sections…might got your mama on the post, girlfriend…At the end of the day, it was super exciting—adding fuel to the fire.” (13:03, Jeremiah Fears)

• About the NBA draft night moment:

  • “Once I seen all the cameras…put my head down like I’m about to get drafted. Walked up there, put the hat on, shook Adam Silver’s hand…Dream come true.” (18:03, Jeremiah Fears)

• NBA adjustment:

  • “Speed of the game…once the game starts slowing down, it’s going to become a lot more easier…that was the biggest adjustment.” (19:38, Jeremiah Fears)

• About that first big check:

  • “That joint did count…I got up and just started dancing.” (20:09, Jeremiah Fears)

• First big superstar matchup:

  • “KD…you can play great defense…he catch that joint, take that one dribble and rise up…You contest…still bottom of the net.” (22:29, Jeremiah Fears)

Important Timestamps

• Jeremiah talks family & early days: 04:24–05:55
• High school/college transition: 06:04–07:15
• College weight room, gaining size: 07:16–08:13
• Teammate support & buy-in: 09:15
• Fears’ early confidence about NBA: 10:41
• Rivalry games & trash talk: 13:03–13:35
• College grudge matches (UGA/Kentucky): 14:08–15:29
• NBA draft workouts & process: 16:23–18:03
• Draft night emotions: 18:03
• Pelicans and pro adjustments: 18:59–21:25
• Facing superstars (KD): 22:29
• Veteran mentors: 22:56–23:17
• Concluding remarks/Pelicans shout-out: 23:44–24:07

Final Thoughts

This episode offers an energetic deep-dive into Jeremiah Fears’ transition from top collegiate star to NBA rookie, highlighting the unique pressures, competitiveness, and lifestyle changes of high-end basketball. Fears’ passion, humor, and humility stand out as he shares stories of sibling battles, college challenges, rookie adjustments, and his candid appreciation for the mentors helping him adapt in the league. All told in the high-spirited, ball-focused banter that Club 520 fans know and love.

For More: Find Club 520 Podcast on all major platforms and follow @club520podcast for future guests and episodes.