How Jeremiah Fears’ Family Facilitates the Newbie Onboarding Process

For an NBA rookie, the initial whirlwind of preseason games, new cities, and facing childhood idols can be overwhelming. For New Orleans Pelicans new guard Jeremiah Fearsthe antidote to that chaos was a simple, powerful constant: family. More than a dozen family members gathered in Memphis to watch the 19-year-old make his NBA regular season debut. The support system is not only in the stands.

Family is woven into the very fabric of Fears’ early professional journey, turning important moments into shared memories.

“It means a lot to have that support, especially for someone as young as me,” Fears admitted to ClutchPoints. “I saw the family here and was able to give them the experience for my first game. It was pretty cool for them, but also for me.”

That foundational presence has been a cornerstone as Fears navigates this new professional environment, both on and off the field. On it, he is already absorbing lessons from veteran teammates.

“It was great playing Zion,” beamed Fears. “(Williamson) brings a lot. You can learn from him even though he’s super young.”

Fears also had their own first taste of high stakes competition, weighing against I Morant.

“Playing against Jao was super dope,” admitted the rookie. “(Morant) talked to me a little bit after the game. At the same time, you’ve got to go out there and compete, so he was probably trying to kill me.”

As far as as Fears approached the matches against Morant?

“I was trying to kill him.”

Morant’s now-viral taunt directed at Fears at the end of that game drew plenty of attention, but the rookie dismissed it as a true “welcome to the NBA” moment. While his teammate Zion Williamson disagreed with that assessmentFears took hold.

“I would definitely say not yet,” he emphasized. “There was a moment in the preseason where (Kevin Durant) did some crazy things. Other than that, I don’t think there was a moment in this game that I would say.”

We’ll be sure to ask Fears about that assessment after 81 more games.

Jeremiah Fears knows the purpose

Beyond the most interesting games and competitive fire, Fears is aiming its entry-level platform towards something much more meaningful. Finding purpose through pain requires a perspective most wouldn’t wish on anyone, and the Fears family knows this reality well.

In partnership with Paris Parker Salon, Fears and family will host a special “Glam Up” event honoring 10 breast cancer patients from the Ochsner Cancer Center. These women, who are currently in or have completed treatment, will be treated to a complete makeover at Paris Parker’s Carondelet St. location. in New Orleans.

The event has a deep personal significance. The loss of Jeremiah’s grandmother to breast cancer at just 45 years old fueled the family’s commitment to lifting up others facing similar battles. Through this collaboration with Ochsner Health, Fears is demonstrating that his rookie onboarding process isn’t just about adjusting to life in the NBA. It’s about bringing his family on the trip and using his new platform to honor those who can’t be there. In doing so, he shows a maturity that goes far beyond his years on the field.

For the fourth youngest player in the NBA, Jeremy Fiers already understands what it means to be a professional in every sense of the word.