Jeremey Fears Jr. talks about his goal to create a legacy at Michigan State Basketball

I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again: Jeremy Fears Jr. has the chance to go down in history as one of the greatest Michigan State basketball players of all time.

On paper, that’s a very difficult thing to do, but when you think about it, you realize it’s 100 percent possible. That’s because (for better or worse) of the cards that Fears was dealt last December when he was shot in the leg. That incident turned his career upside down, which in turn impacts the legacy he’ll leave at Michigan Stats when his career is over.

Legacy is an interesting topic, especially when it comes to someone who could play four more years at MSU. However, this topic was brought up in a recent Spartan City interview posted online, and Fears’ response was missing some key details.

When asked what he wants his legacy to be at Michigan State University, Fears answered simply: “Definitely win, and hopefully something big like the national championship or going really far in the tournament.”

Honestly, that answer isn’t too surprising. If I were in Fears’ shoes, I wouldn’t want my legacy to be tied to the incident that happened to him last December either. But unfortunately, that story isn’t going anywhere, but I think it only adds to his legacy in a positive way.

Of course, the most important thing for college athletes is always to be remembered as a winner, but their impact can be much greater. For example, do you remember the atmosphere that surrounded Cassius Winston his senior year? He was a rock star on campus and among the fans. This has nothing to do with his legacy as a winner, but rather shows what a great person he was.

Tom Izzo has had some players during his tenure that mean more to fans than the number of games they won, and Fears has the chance to join that illustrious group.

And while I have no doubt that Fears will go down in history as a victor, I also believe he has a chance to go down in history as one of the most resilient Spartans of all time. So many people can look at what he overcame and use it as inspiration for their own lives. That source of inspiration is just as great a legacy, in my opinion, as being a victor.

When it’s all said and done, the first thing people will think of is what kind of player Fears was (and by all accounts he will be a special player). But when you combine that with the resilience he’s shown so far in his career, I think Fears will go down as one of the all-time greats in Michigan State basketball history.