A huge part of a point guard's job is to make his teammates look better.That is a big part of what makes Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. so valuable. He led the team with 15.2 points per game last season while also dishing out a nation-leading 9.4 assists per contest. Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. hunches over during a game against Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SIFears could have stuck with the NBA Draft and likely would have gone in the second round, but he opted to return to MSU instead. It positions the Spartans as a national title contender for the 2026-27 season, with most experts having them comfortably in their early top 10 rankings.Michigan State is made much, much better by getting Fears back. These three players will especially benefit from his return to college:Carlos Medlock Jr.Wayne Memorial's Carlos Medlock Jr. looks to shoot during a boys basketball open gym on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. | Brandon Folsom/Hometown Life / USA TODAY NETWORKThe most obvious answer is incoming freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. Had Fears stayed in the NBA, the Spartans would be looking at a scenario where Medlock (again, a freshman) would be the only primary ball-handler on the team. Tom Izzo would probably make a late portal addition or find an international prospect, but Medlock's development path would have to be seriously fast-tracked, no matter who MSU got.Getting at least one season to back up Fears will do Medlock a lot of good. It's a year to learn and get a front-row seat to what makes Fears successful, and a season to really learn Michigan State's system while getting some meaningful minutes before probably taking over as a starter in 2027-28.Coen CarrMichigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr watches the action from the bench during a game at the Breslin Center against the Detroit Mercy Titans. Carr had 13 points and seven rebounds during the 84-56 victory. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SIHow does another year of Fears throwing lobs to Coen Carr sound? The two of them have paired up for two of the most exciting points in college basketball countless times. Fears can just put the ball near the backboard, and Carr almost always puts it through. Nobody knows how to time the lobs and exactly how to place them quite like Fears, though.Carr needs to work on his jump shot, but his athleticism will always be his most valuable asset as a player. No other player amplifies that better than Fears.Anton BonkeFeb 8, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Charlotte 49ers center Anton Bonke (49) handles the ball against Memphis Tigers forward Aaron Bradshaw (11) during the first half at FedExForum. | Wesley Hale-Imagn ImagesBonke is going to get his on pick-and-rolls. Fears did it plenty of times with Carson Cooper at the five, and it might be even easier when Bonke is on the court. He stands at 7'2", the tallest player in program history. Bonke can also move pretty well for somebody his size. His catch radius on lobs will be pretty large, just like it was with Cooper this past year.Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. dribbles the ball up against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SIAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow