College basketball has a new public enemy No. 1 in Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr., who continues to do himself no favors. While fans bashed the guard for his latest antics during the Spartans' loss to Minnesota, the Gophers' head basketball coach, Niko Medved, offered a surprisingly defensive take on Fears.
Medved challenged a foul on Minnesota guard Langston Reynolds in the second half, which led to officials issuing Fears a tech for intentionally kicking Reynolds in the groin area. Medved was visibly upset with the play in the moment, but he showed no animosity toward Fears afterward.
“I'll say this — he's taken a lot of heat and all that [but] he's a great player,” Medved said after the game. “I know he's a great kid. He is a competitor. Yeah, he gets a little carried away. We saw that on film. I thought they did the right thing. But he's a great player. He's a guy you'd love to have on your team. You also know there's a time — you can't do what he did, and I guarantee he knows that.”
Niko Medved on Jeremy Fears Jr.: I mean, you know, he's taken a lot of heat and all that. He's a great player, you know, and Coach gates, on our staffs coached his brother. Knows the family. He is a, I know he's a great kid. He's a competitor. That's who he is. Yeah, he's, you… pic.twitter.com/t1d3JUuMGH
— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) February 5, 2026
Medved was much more forgiving of Fears than Michigan head coach Dusty May was. Following the Wolverines' win over Michigan State on Jan. 30, May blatantly accused Fears of being a dirty player, saying there is “40 minutes” of footage backing that claim.
Medved did not lay into Fears as much as his own coach, Tom Izzo, did. While Izzo defended Fears after the Michigan game, he criticized his star guard for being immature after losing to Minnesota. Izzo demanded that Fears “grow up” and said he “might not start” him in Michigan State's next game against No. 5 Illinois.
Minnesota tops Michigan State amid Jeremy Fears drama
Izzo did not want to give his rival anything to run with after losing to Michigan, but he is well aware of how Fears is being perceived.
Regardless of his on-court play, it is difficult to defend against the allegations against Fears. Multiple clips of him intentionally tripping players and hitting opponents with cheap shots have turned the general fan base against him.
Fears was still effective against Minnesota, dropping a 10-point, 11-assist double-double in the loss. However, he is undeniably costing his team in crucial moments by letting his emotions get the best of him.
