One of one of the best tales of the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns has been the breakout of rookie Rasheer Fleming. In a Suns season that has exceeded expectations in so some ways, nobody expected this type of rookie season from the 31st pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.
His unparalled impression
Rasheer Fleming did not be a part of the Suns’ rotation till after the All-Star break, however since then, his impression has been unparalled throughout the NBA.
Over this span, he holds one of the best NETRTG of any Sun at 11.6 (with the Suns going simply 7-9 in these video games), nevertheless it would not cease there. Among gamers with at the least 7 losses over that span (a helpful qualifier to measure him in opposition to his true friends), his NETRTG is one of the best within the NBA.
It’s not nearly how good they have been with him, it is how a lot *higher* they have been with him. This season (excluding low-leverage possessions), the Suns have an 11.5 NETRTG with him on the ground and a 1.6 NETRTG with out him (via databallr).
What actually units him aside: his 3-and-D
Post All-Star, the Suns greatest shooter (min. 15 3PA) is Rasheer Fleming, who’s hitting 48.1% of his 3s on 52 3PAs. And that unbelievable fee would not simply make him the Suns’ greatest 3PT shooter, it makes him the most effective shooters within the NBA. Over that span, he’s (tied for) the Third-best 3PT shooter within the NBA (min. 50 3PA).
Now, think about including that to a 6′ 9″ frame with a 7′ 6″ wingspan (spoiler: it is actually good). He’s shortly put that freakish wingspan to good use, as he’s (tied for) 1st amongst all rookie forwards in blocks per minute (min. 250 MIN). His DFG% (42.3) is Ninth-best amongst all forwards within the NBA this season (min. 175 DFGA).
That wingspan helps for extra than simply protection, too. Fleming ranks 4th amongst all PFs within the NBA in OREB per minute (min. 500 MIN), an particularly invaluable stat given the Suns’ emphasis on offensive rebounding this season (T-4th in NBA).
The decision compelled onto Jordan Ott
He wasn’t prepared to make one of these impression again when the season started, and Coach Ott and the Suns had been good to acknowledge that, however he may also be growing faster than they’d anticipated. He’s already confirmed to be an especially invaluable, impactful NBA participant, and but, he’s nonetheless simply tenth in MPG amongst all Suns since All-Star Weekend.
The largest impediment in his means is simply how deep this Suns crew is, which is lastly trending in direction of having a totally wholesome roster. Even with a deep crew, no different participant can boast the kind of impression that Fleming has. In truth, the participant with the worst NETRTG (-3.9) on the Suns is Royce O’Neale, the participant who Fleming might presumably overtake within the beginning lineup.
It’s an impression that can not be ignored. The Suns are merely a greater crew with him on the ground, so why not play him extra? Jordan Ott is operating out of causes not to, and with simply 10 video games left within the season, that is the query that Jordan Ott will want to reply ASAP.
