Due to a number of big swing trades in recent years, the Phoenix Suns don’t possess exclusive rights to their own first round draft pick until 2032. They do, however, have the No. 47 overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft.
Finding a key rotational piece in Round 2 is rare compared to teams drafting within the lottery, but a number of second round talents in NBA history have gone on to have successful and even MVP-caliber careers.
Getting a contributor with their No. 47 selection will be crucial for the Suns to improve a roster that’s otherwise hampered by a lack of draft capital and financial flexibility. So, who could the Suns select with this year’s pick to help make an impact?
ESPN has Suns targeting Michigan State point guard in NBA mock draft
Unlike previous mock drafts that have Phoenix staying in-state for University of Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has the Suns taking a different floor general: Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr.
The immediate reasoning should be obvious: Mat Ishbia is a Michigan State guy who has built up the Suns in that vision with hires like assistant coach Mateen Cleaves and the reported attempted hire of Tom Izzo.
It’s not much of a stretch to believe that Ishbia’s Suns would target or, at the very least, consider drafting Spartans from his alma mater.
MSU connection aside, though, Fears Jr. showed great promise as a distributor. During the 2025-26 season, Fears led all of college basketball by averaging 9.4 assists per game. Purdue’s Braden Smith was a distant second at 8.8 assists per contest.
Notably, Fears continued that elite playmaking in the NCAA Tournament. After dishing out 13 assists in the conference tournament loss against UCLA, Fears notched 11 assists in the first round of March Madness, 16 assists in the Round of 32 against Louisville and seven assists (along with three steals) in a Sweet 16 loss against UConn.
On a roster that already features elite scorers in Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, the addition of a pass-first point guard in Fears would be an ideal addition. Fears could continue to lean into his strengths as a passer to set up All-Star caliber teammates and learn within a system that in many ways functions much like a college team by design.
Fears was far from a great shooter, though, sinking just 32.1% of his 3-point attempts during his junior season with Michigan State. That’s an area of his game he’d need to improve at the next level, but plenty of average shooters have improved under the tutelage of NBA coaching staffs.
If he's available at No. 47, adding Fears Jr. as a pass-first point guard to set up Book, Green, Brooks and others is certainly an intriguing match for the Suns organization.
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