Today, SI unveils the final two pieces of OTE’s 2022–23 class after announcements Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
After three consecutive days of reeling in elite high school basketball prospects from around the country, Overtime Elite has struck gold again, this time with versatile center Jayden Williams and heady point guard Jeremy Fears, signing both players for the coming season.
Both Williams and Fears will waive the $100,000 salary to maintain their college eligibility, a path top 2024 prospect Naasir Cunningham pioneered when he signed with OTE in April. Each of the other six prospects OTE signed this week opted to take the same route.
Fears, a Michigan State commit, is one of the top floor generals in the 2023 class and a virtual lock for the SI99 basketball recruiting rankings (released later this year), while Williams is widely regarded as a top-10 prospect in the ’24 class.
Overtime
Williams is an agile 6'9" big with a 7'5" wingspan and next-level athletic ability, making him a headache of a matchup on both ends of the floor for the opposition.
“Jayden’s an elite player with a large upside who will benefit tremendously from our development resources,” says OTE head coach and director of player development Kevin Ollie. “You can’t teach the length and athleticism he brings to the court, so as he uses OTE’s resources to continue developing his overall game, his potential is limitless.”
Fears is a pass-first point guard with a keen eye and efficient three-level scoring ability. Fears has led USA Basketball to two gold medals; the most recent featured his 17-point, six-assist performance in the 79–67 win over Spain for the title.
“Jeremy’s competitive spirit is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about the dynamic he brings to our league,” OTE vice president of recruiting and player personnel Tim Fuller says. “He’s the definition of a competitive and elite defender that will add toughness and physicality to our program. He plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder which makes him difficult to guard and even more difficult to escape on defense.”
