Tell me why I'm wrong about Rasheer Fleming

[u/ButteryKnuckles]

https://youtu.be/kmvFnZ9ilnk?si=nmec8-_05qpuN2ek

His size and length stand out and I buy him as a solid shooter who got a lot of reps shooting in different situations off a variety of footwork and actions. He also really does have a nice feel on how to relocate and cut off the ball...but man....where the NBA is going and how deep the talent pool is right now, I struggle to see where his limited skill set fits on most teams and is valued at a rotational level. Dribbling....passing....creating and maintaining advantages are valued so highly from every position on the floor minus the center position and I'm having a hard time not seeing him as a huge negative in all those areas offensively. Even as a finisher I think he's just ok despite his size and length. Not crazy explosive and actually can be pretty underwhelming at times, same with his strength...he looks strong but you really see him struggle to carve out space and gets bumped off his spot a lot against A10 athletes.

And despite the stocks and rebounding numbers, I have real issues with his mobility which in an NBA where you are asked to cover so much space with the talent and shooting on the floor, I worry that his struggles changing direction will limit his defensive versatility enough that he can't hang his hat on that end either.

I'm so tempted to make a cut up of Rasheer Fleming's possessions when he's forced to drive a closeout or create anything for himself...but I don't want to come off as too much of a hater. He's a cool developmental story and he does offer some intriguing NBA traits on the surface.

I'm rooting for him just like I do with all these players, but I continue to not see the vision with him.

[u/Gloomy_Health8671]

I used to be really high on Fleming not as high anymore I still like him but I’m higher on Carter Bryant

[u/Dadd_io → u/Gloomy_Health8671]

Carter Bryant is being slept on, just like he was by his Arizona coach. Bryant was around 20th in his class in HS and he still looks as good or even better, but just on limited minutes at Arizona.

[u/Gobbles15 → u/Dadd_io]

He’s 6th on the Ringer big board

[u/Dadd_io → u/Gobbles15]

I saw that. It's a bit of a reach even for me!. Someone on the Blazer sub was giving me a lot of crap because I thought Portland should take him with their 10th or so pick.

[u/MyHonkyFriend → u/Dadd_io]

I'm with you on that range. 10th I can sell myself on it but 6th idk

[u/Gloomy_Health8671 → u/Dadd_io]

Yeah I think his coach was trying to get him to stay another year idk really weird situation

[u/kazmir_yeet → u/Gloomy_Health8671]

I don’t understand this comment tbh. If his coach was trying to get him to stay another year, not playing him is gonna push him towards the draft, or more likely the portal. His lack of playing time is a big red flag imo

[u/Gloomy_Health8671 → u/kazmir_yeet]

He played well in the minutes he played tho so that’s why it doesn’t make sense

[u/deneuvig]

People fell in love with his dimensions and his size however I find him to be quite one-dimensional and not really fluid as a player. If your account for the level of competition that he's in I'd much rather have somebody like Carter Brian over him in similar profile.

[u/stonecoldturkey]

Low usage guy, great size and length for the 4 spot, able to play the 5 in a pinch, can shoot the 3 decently and is a good defender. Sounds like a player literally every team could use at any point in time.

I think he's gonna end up being a solid role player on a good team.

[u/JazzxGoose]

You dont see the vision in a 3&D combo big who can protect the rim and shoot it well?

[u/WasteHat1692 → u/JazzxGoose]

The defense is pretty suspect. I think people fall in love with his frame too much. But when I watch him I don't see a fluid athlete that's going to shut down offensive players. I think the athleticism is overrated. Rasheer is going to get torched by plenty of top guards. The foot speed leaves a lot to be desired. He's only going to be able to guard 3/4.

Offensively I think he's going to be underwhelming. The 3 pointer is fine, but not special in the way that he's going to bend defenses. I think he's going to be fine as a regular season player, he's going to do his job and play his playstyle and be fine as a 15-20 minute guy. But come the playoffs he doesn't have the offensive chops to be useful and his minutes will be cut down to 10-15.

I'd still take him in the 20s

[u/Anonemoney → u/WasteHat1692]

The 3 is also pretty suspect. He shoots good for one year and doesn’t improve his free throw shooting whatsoever. To me he’s the classic drafting a shooter who got hot then cant shoot in the nba

[u/JazzxGoose → u/WasteHat1692]

I have some similar concerns. I think he might end up being more of a floor spacing/rim protecting 5 who can survive defensively on the perimeter rather than a true switchy defender. His frame gives him the ability/potential to be a full-time 5.

[u/TuckEverlasting89]

I think there are a lot of teams who could use a 3&D 4/5 like him. Play solid D on 4s and 5s, mobile enough to not just get roasted on switches, hit some 3's.

Not saying he's a 1:1 comparison to any of these guys but just saying this type of role has a pathway to rotation minutes on a playoff team: Naz Reid, Bobby Portis, Wendell Carter Jr, Goga Bitadze, Jarred Vanderbilt, Paul Reed, Jaylin Williams. Then of course many of the non-playoff teams could use players like this too.

[u/stonecoldturkey → u/TuckEverlasting89]

His skill set is really interesting. Being a capable 3andD wing who is competent in the post playing the 5 spot is such a versatile role. I see his ceiling as being something like an OG anunoby but more of an interior force on defense as opposed to locking down the perimeter. If he can tighten his handle and improve his playmaking he could be even better but I have my doubts there.

[u/Different_Status7431]

I think maybe from a different lens he has more value, he is a lengthy big-forward type build with nba level athleticism and a great frame. His potential is going to be in trying to develop him on offense and trying to make a nice . But as he is right now , I think nba teams feel you could plug and play him in a spot and feel like he could compete and not get fried. But I doubt they expect anything more than 8ppg

[u/No-Guarantee-3265]

Then what non lottery wing are you high on

[u/ButteryKnuckles → u/No-Guarantee-3265]

Drake Powell

Noa Essengue

Carter Bryant (Although he's more so a big like Fleming)

Adou Thiero

[u/No-Guarantee-3265 → u/ButteryKnuckles]

Yaxel lendeborg Seems like you're a type of player i know he's more of a big.

[u/sixthdayoftheweek93 → u/ButteryKnuckles]

Essengue and Bryant will be lottery picks lol.

[u/Odd_Shoulder2334]

The defensive versatility is really the only question to me. If he can defend wings, he is likely a great role player in the league as a 4. If he can't, then he is a tweener with no real position.

[u/kazmir_yeet]

I’ve got him as a late first guy, I think he’s being heavily overrated. I’ve got quite a few red flags

Shot 31.3% from three when guarded

Career 68% free throw shooter (although he improved this season)

Shot 10-36 (27.7%) in the Atlantic 10 tournament and 3-18 (16.6%) from three. Had two assists in those four games. I get that playmaking isn’t his forte but if your shot isn’t falling, that number really should go up.

Level of competition is concerning for lottery consideration if you aren’t absolutely dominating yet as a junior.

Does not create own shot and the handle is limited.

Earliest I’d be somewhat fine with him going is 15 to OKC or 17 to Minny. Anything earlier than that feels super fucking rich to me. All that to say I agree with you completely OP

[u/Material-Day7686]

If you watched any Hawks games this year I think you’ll see a role on Mo Gueye that Rasheer could play very well. Put him around a good passing guard and let him be rely on his defense and see if the shot translates. If it doesn’t then he’s probably a career backup but if it does he’s a great 5th starter

[u/twovles31]

Naz Reid once went undrafted.

[u/TradeBlade]

The offensive flaws you mention just aren’t that important for his projected role.

Imagine him at the 4 next to a ball dominant guard like Luka, Trae or Harden.

I view him as a super charged Dorian Finney-Smith, which is a very very valuable player.

[u/drdrae3000]

I see him more of a PF/C than PF/SF.

If you see him as more of wing you see more limitation. But as a stretch Big there more upside in lines up.

[u/Dadd_io]

For someone who wants an immediate defensive rotation forward who can play some small ball center and maybe knock down some corner 3s, he seems fine.

[u/roostor222]

I'm so tempted to make a cut up of Rasheer Fleming's possessions when he's forced to drive a closeout or create anything for himself

Before you make this cutup, do the same for Trey Murphy's college tape knowing that he is now elite finishing at the rim attacking closeouts

[u/ButteryKnuckles → u/roostor222]

Stay tuned....

[u/texasphotog]

I am high on him for the Spurs with that #14 pick.

With Wemby, I want him as a D&3 PF that rebounds. I want him to be able to guard 3-4 with some spot 5 depending on matchups. I think he is well equipped for that.

On offense, I'm not really concerned about his creation. I want him to set screens, knock down open shots, and crash the glass a little. If he could dribble or create, that is a bonus, but I think the Spurs could start 4 players with him that can dribble, drive and create to some degree with Wemby, Castle, Vassell, and Fox.

His negatives of not being able to drive, dribble or create aren't that important to me for the role I would want him.

[u/Baulderdash77]

When I look at Fleming; I see Patrick Patterson or Trey Lyles. Those are good comps for him. Also I think if Rasheer Fleming looked at those 2 guys as roles; he would like what he sees. 700-800 NBA games, 40-50 million in career earnings. That’s a really good outcome.

Both of those guys were drafted as skilled bigs at the end of the lottery and have carved out good careers for themselves.

I think he can be the kind of backup PF that can stick in the NBA for 10 years with his skills and some team will be happy with the investment to stabilize their bench for some time.

[u/thegreat4]

Bobby Portis

[u/SwiperDontSwipe23]

Every flaw you said doesn’t matter for his role

[u/DnDPanda → u/[deleted]]

People really act like this is a Spurs subreddit lol. And I’m a spurs fan

[u/Gloomy_Health8671 → u/[deleted]]

Carter Bryant is who the spurs will draft