Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets reportedly believe Jeremiah Fears and LaMelo Ball could share a backcourt.
The Hornets have the fourth pick in the draft, which immediately makes them a team of interest. However, there has also been speculation that they could trade star LaMelo Ball, whom they selected with the third pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
While the status of Ball remains unclear, the Hornets appear to be making preparations for him to return. On the morning of the draft on Wednesday, NBA Draft expert Rafael Barlowe reported that the Hornets have interest in former Oklahoma star Jeremiah Fears.
A quote from a recent article written by Barlowe was reposted on the NBA Central X account.
“The Charlotte Hornets have reportedly shown interest, despite not securing a workout,” Barlowe wrote. “From what I’ve heard, there’s some internal belief in Charlotte that Fears and LaMelo Ball could share a backcourt. Charlotte has shown interest—even without a workout—believing he could coexist alongside LaMelo Ball.”
The Hornets reportedly believe that Jeremiah Fears and LaMelo Ball could coexist together in the backcourt, per @Barlowe500
“The Charlotte Hornets have reportedly shown interest, despite not securing a workout. From what I’ve heard, there’s some internal belief in Charlotte… pic.twitter.com/8CTZgErhKF
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 25, 2025
While the Hornets believe a backcourt of Ball and Fears could work, it comes with risks. Both players are traditional point guards, and it is unlikely that the Hornets are going to take the ball away from an established star like LaMelo Ball.
As a result, if the Hornets draft Fears, there is a decent chance he could be pushed to the shooting guard position. Alternatively, he could come off the bench as the backup point guard as a rookie.
Jeremiah Fears Has Been Linked to Utah Despite Interest From the Charlotte Hornets
While there are now rumors that the Charlotte Hornets are interested in Jeremiah Fears, there are several other elite options for them to take with the fourth pick. For example, drafting a bigger guard, like the Duke Blue Devils’ Kon Knueppel, could make more sense for the Hornets.
As a result, the team that has been linked to Fears the most has been the Utah Jazz. The Jazz hold the fifth pick and appear to be a perfect fit. They are a team that is early in their rebuild, and as a result, can build around any type of player.
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