Rotational help for the Mavericks?
Editor’s note: this and a few other profiles were written before the Mavericks winning the lottery. We’re running them anyway because they’re fun.
Rasheer Fleming may not be the prospect with the most upside in this year’s draft, but he could be ready to contribute to an NBA rotation as soon as next season. Rasheer Fleming was the only college player who finished the year with over 40 dunks and 60 three-pointers, which has only happened eight times in history. He is a polarizing prospect that is projected from late lottery to the end of the first round.
The Basics
When you turn on film of Rasheer Fleming, you can’t miss him, he is a 6’9 Power Forward with a lean 240lb frame and a 7’5 wingspan. Over the past three years at Saint Joseph’s, Fleming blossomed into one of the highest-rated prospects in Hawks’ history. He entered college as an unranked prospect from nearby Camden, New Jersey. His size and development even led him to test the waters last year, working out with a few NBA teams before deciding to return for his Junior year. After taking another huge developmental leap, Rasheer Fleming is finally ready to show everyone he is ready for the NBA.
Strengths
Rasheer Fleming is a smart, hard-working defensive player who is an explosive dunker and knock-down shooter from deep. He uses his athleticism on both sides of the court, from chase-down blocks to finishing above the rim. The biggest leap this year for Fleming was his offensive game. This season, Fleming shot 39 percent from beyond the arc on 4.5 attempts per game. Fleming also converted 74 percent of his free throws this season, up 13 percent from last season. Fleming’s improved shooting makes him the prototypical NBA stretch four. His length and strength allow him to defend multiple positions and play as a small-ball five. In his Junior year, Fleming averaged 1.5 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 8.5 rebounds a game. While Fleming was a standout against the Atlantic-10 competition, in a game against the University of Texas, he pulled down 20 rebounds and got three blocks. Against Texas Tech, a team that reached the Elite Eight, Fleming hit three of four shots from behind the arc and ended with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Weaknesses
While you can’t miss Fleming on the floor, his impact doesn’t always translate to the game’s highlight reel. When evaluating mid-major prospects, the expectation is for them to dominate against lower-level competition, yet Fleming doesn’t consistently stand out on film due to his limitations as a shot creator and playmaker. A significant concern is whether his style of play will effectively adapt to the speed of the NBA. His propensity for picking up unnecessary fouls could restrict his minutes early on. Flemings’ loose handle and negative assist-to-turnover ratio will only be more of a liability against NBA defenders. While defensively, his size can help him match up against NBA bigs, he may have trouble defending highly athletic NBA wings at the next level.
Fleming ended the season in a shooting slump during the A10 conference tournament and the first round of the NIT. In those four games, he had a field goal percentage of 34 percent and only shot 16 percent from distance.
Fit with the Mavericks
Rasheer Fleming would be a perfect fit for a Mavericks roster that needs players to play multiple positions. He is a defensive first player who can guard up and down his position. He would be an upgrade to Kessler Edwards, who played a lot of five for the Mavs last year due to injury. Fleming has proven he is a knock-down shooter from the outside, hitting 62 threes at a 39 percent clip this year. On the Mavs, Fleming would easily fit into a rotation that would play to his strengths and not be expected to do much of the playmaking. His athleticism, defense, and shot-making would not only be a great fit for the Mavericks but also be a great landing spot for a player who needs time to adjust to the NBA level of competition.
NBA Comparison
When I see Rasheer Fleming play, I can’t help but think of Paul Millsap. Both Paul Millsap and Rasheer Fleming were unranked entering college and left after their Junior year. They are both great around the basket in terms of finishing and rebounding. Millsap and Fleming have wingspans and size to guard centers in the NBA.
Paul Millsap was a four-time NBA All-Star and made the 2015-16 second-team All-Defensive Team. What propelled Millsap into an All-Star was effectively extending his range to the outside. Millsap only hit 31 threes in his first seven seasons. Over the next four seasons, when Millsap was an All-Star, he hit over 300 shots from beyond the arc at 33.5 percent.
Rasheer Fleming is a throwback, a bring your lunch pail to work and outgrind everyone type of player. Luckily, his athleticism makes it fun to watch him go to work. If Fleming wants to have a career like Millsap, he will need to play to his strengths and continue to work on his passing and eliminate the dumb fouls.