PHOENIX– Before Rasheer Fleming's NBA campaign kicked off, he wanted to guard one player.
“LeBron James,” Fleming said emphatically during a Phoenix Suns fan event before the season began.
Although the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix have squared off three times, Fleming never had the chance to routinely guard James or Doncic. He's spent those games either with Valley Suns (Phoenix's G-League affiliate) or playing garbage time.
With the influx of injuries, he's seen his workload increase. From being mostly a defender, his offensive game has grown exponentially.
He might not amaze anyone right now, but the confidence is brewing. Fleming's athleticism, wingspan, and defense alone make him someone to play in the rotation.
The budding offensive game– and specifically the 3-point shot– has put intrigue into the fanbase, as well as the Suns' coaching staff.
Head coach Jordan Ott had Fleming matched up on Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard on Tuesday, where the latter shot 1-for-11 from the field.
Two days later, the coach spoke on the rookie's responsibility to guard “some of the best players in the world,” in reference to James and Luka Doncic. The starstruck nature didn't seem to faze him one bit.
“I think afterwards,” Fleming said when asked about matching up with James and Doncic. “Like, I'm going to go home and probably think more about it. But during the game, I'm too competitive to be that focused on it.”
I asked Rasheer Fleming if he gets starstruck mid game or if that happens after the fact.
He was routinely guarding Luka Doncic and had stints on LeBron James tonight.
“I think afterwards. Like, I’m going to go home and probably think more about it. But during the game, I’m too… pic.twitter.com/KVcKFD89Wx
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) February 27, 2026
Suns teammates see Rasheer Fleming's budding potential
Fleming has all the tools to be an elite NBA defender. But an elite offensive player? That hasn't crossed many people's minds except for his teammates.
He's put in work for the Valley Suns, and he's reaping the fruits of his labor. The back-and-forth between G-League and NBA games, sometimes on the same day, can be a bit much.
But it's all part of the process, and something Fleming took in stride. His work ethic, commitment to staying ready has paid dividends ever since the new year began.
In the second half, Ott swapped the starters for the second unit, which Fleming was a part of. He hit two 3-point shots, and injected life into the Phoenix crowd.
The offensive game only elevated his impact.
As he was cheering on the bench, this was just another game for Fleming through the eyes of Collin Gillespie, who raved for nearly 30 seconds postgame about his rookie's potential.
“We always tell him that he has no idea how good he can be,” Gillespie said to reporters.
“He could be so, so good. I don't even think he's close (to his ceiling). He probably doesn't even know what a ceiling is. I don't even know what his ceiling is. He's got so much to find offensively still, but defensively, just on the ball, his length, deflections. He does everything.”
With injuries continuing to plague the team, this might be the legitimate shot for Fleming to insert himself fully into the Phoenix Suns roster.
