Jeremy Fears Is Leading The Nation In Assists, And FOX Sports Just Declared Him College Hoops' Best Point Guard Already

Alright, Emerald City! You thought we were done with college basketball after Michigan clinched the title in April? Nah, fam, not a chance. FOX Sports is already out here shaking up the future, dropping their top 10 returning players for the *2026-27* season! And let me tell you, some of these names are gonna make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the next two years of hoops. We're talking about the guys who are set to absolutely DOMINATE, and FOX is calling it way early.

Elite Point Guards and a Shocking Transfer

Man, if you're a Michigan State fan, you gotta be PUMPED. Jeremy Fears, their electrifying point guard, is officially staying put. No NBA Draft for him this summer! This dude averaged a ridiculous 15.2 points, 9.4 assists, and 1.3 steals last season, and get this, he led the entire nation in assists. Michael Cohen at FOX isn't holding back, calling Fears "arguably the best point guard in college basketball" for the upcoming season. Yeah, his on-court vibe can be a little "love it or hate it," but with big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper gone, Fears needs to step up in a HUGE way in maturity and leadership. The Spartans need him to be *the* guy. Then you got Tyler Tanner from Vanderbilt, who dragged his team to the SEC Tournament Championship and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This kid dropped 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals, earning First-Team All-SEC honors AND making the conference's All-Defensive Team. Talk about a two-way monster! Cohen said he was "inches away" from hitting a half-court shot against Nebraska that would've sent Vanderbilt to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007. Heartbreaking stuff, but you know he's coming back hungry. And get this for a plot twist: Milan Momcilovic is heading to Kentucky for his senior year after three seasons at Iowa State! He averaged 16.9 points and a mind-boggling 30.1 rebounds, yeah, you read that right, this past season, and helped Iowa State hit the Sweet Sixteen. Kentucky just got a serious weapon.

Championship DNA and Gator Power Rising

Speaking of championship pedigree, Silas Demary from UConn was a legit game-changer during their title run. This guy hit two clutch three-pointers in the Elite Eight against Duke, and then dropped 7 points, 7 assists, and 9 rebounds in the Final Four against Illinois. Coach Dan Hurley shouted him out for bringing toughness and defensive intensity that raised UConn's ceiling, and his peers agreed, voting Demary First-Team All-Big East and onto the All-Defensive Team. That's serious respect! And we gotta talk about the Florida Gators, man. FOX is saying they're gonna be doing "big things" next season, and it's because they're bringing back TWO of these top 10 players! Thomas Haugh, a consensus Second-Team All-American who averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds, decided to stick around for his fourth season instead of going pro. And then there's Alex Condon, who's been a rock for three years, even helping them win the 2025 national title! He's been Third-Team All-SEC for two straight seasons, and his size was crucial for a Gators defense that ranked sixth nationally in adjusted efficiency and eighth in opponent 2-point field goal percentage. Those two-way studs are gonna make Florida a problem. Don't sleep on John Blackwell, either. After three years at Wisconsin where he developed into a "highly effective three-level scorer" and bumped his average from 8 to 19.1 points last season, he's taking his talents to Duke. That's a huge pickup for the Blue Devils. So there you have it, folks. FOX Sports just threw down the gauntlet for the 2026-27 college basketball season, and it's looking WILD. These are the names you NEED to know, the guys who are gonna be shaping the national landscape. We're talking future legends already being picked out. It's early, but the hype is REAL, and we're ready to see how these stars step up when the time comes. Buckle up, it's gonna be an insane ride!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.