Mavericks' perfect Kyrie Irving replacement officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Last night, the Dallas Mavericks clawed out a wild win over the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 120-118, giving them a 1.5 game lead over the Sacramento Kings for the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.

Everything is coming together for Dallas in terms of them having a spot in the Play-In Tournament, as Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant recently suffered an ankle injury, simultaneously tanking their chances of catching the Mavs in the standings. All signs are pointing to the Mavericks being in the play-in and potentially hosting a home game, but that hasn't stopped some fans from looking past it and to next season.

The Mavs' chances of making a run in the playoffs (if they escape the Play-In Tournament) are low, considering their limited firepower with Kyrie Irving out, and fans have already begun to think about who the Mavericks could select with their first-round draft pick this summer.

Dallas owns their first-round pick this year, which is uncommon considering how aggressive the front office has been in the past when trading these picks, and they have to ace this pick to give them a boost for the future. While it remains unclear exactly where the Mavs' selection will be, there is one player from the University of Oklahoma whom they can't pass up on if he somehow falls or Dallas moves up in the lottery.

Mavericks' perfect future star guard has entered the draft

Jeremiah Fears has officially declared for the NBA Draft as of yesterday, and he may be the perfect player to give Dallas' backcourt a major boost since Irving will likely miss a significant chunk of next season. The backup guard spots have been one of the Mavericks' biggest holes this season, and Fears is someone who would plug that hole immediately and have the chance to join the rotation right away.

In his freshman season at Oklahoma, Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 28.4 percent from downtown on 3.9 attempts per game. Fears finished the season strong, averaging 24.2 points per game while shooting 33.3 percent from downtown in his final five games, and he is undoubtedly looking like a lock to go in the lottery.

Fears's ability to get to the rim and finish with either hand, score off the bounce, and knock down open threes is intriguing, and he has unbelievable upside when compared to other guards in his draft class. His handle is also excellent, and he would have the chance to learn from one of the best ball handlers of all time in Dallas in Irving if they were to draft him, and potentially take over one day as he has star written all over him.

While Fears may not have a massive role right away when the team is fully healthy, he would be in the perfect situation to learn from Irving until he is ready to take the baton from him years down the road. He could hypothetically become Irving's apprentice over the next few years, and if he happens to pan out and looks like a future star in this league, he could turn into Irving's replacement once he retires.

Fears would be a major piece in the rotation until Irving returns from his ACL tear at some point next season, and the Mavericks could even test out using lineups in which Fears and Irving share the floor together. His shooting off the ball and ability to attack closeouts and get paint touches would make him a great fit into Jason Kidd's scheme, but his performance on the other end could draw some concerns.

Fears and Irving are both not the best defenders, and Fears would be an undersized two, but considering Dallas' back line of defense that includes P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford, they'd be just fine.

Fears may truly be one of Dallas' best fits in the 2025 NBA Draft, and if he somehow falls into their lap, that would be a dream come true for Mavericks fans. Now that he has officially declared for the draft, Mavs fans' minds will be racing once the season ends with the thought of Fears landing in Dallas and becoming their star guard of the future. The Mavs' core is older than anyone likes to admit, and drafting a young star would bring back hope when breaking down Dallas' future.