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Suns will draft St. Joseph’s Rasheer Fleming 31st overall in 2025 NBA draft

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 7:37 PM ET

Phoenix Suns general manager has been aggressive in his first ever NBA draft, making multiple draft day trades. Before Thursday’s second round, Gregory traded two future second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets 36th overall pick, and then flipped that pick and two more second round picks for the 31st pick. The two trades made it obvious that the franchise was trying to trade up for a prospect, and ESPN’s Shams Charania has highlighted that it’ll be St. Joseph’s Rasheer Fleming at the 31st pick.

Charania on Suns taking Fleming:

The Suns' war room right now is eyeing St. Joseph's big man Rasheer Fleming at No. 31, finalizing their research and scouting before making their selection at 8 pm ET on ESPN. https://t.co/LCaxxAvN5i

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025

Fleming averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks in his junior season with the Hawks. The Camden, New Jersey native stands at 6’9 and is uber athletic. His 7’5 wingspan makes him a stellar lob threat and defensive hound on the perimeter and at the rim. He’ll help the Suns massively defensively with his stellar defensive IQ.

Gregory could be trying to jump on the bandwagon of the latest NBA trend of a double-big lineup. The Suns just drafted Duke center Khaman Maluach 10th overall and traded for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams. Fleming had a 63.8% true shooting and 39% from three on 4.5 attempts in his last collegiate season. Maluach can play the 4 and play in a lineup with either Maluach or Williams.

The potential defensively lineup of Devin Booker-Ryan Dunn-Dillon Brooks-Fleming-Maluach/Williams is a complete 180 compared to last year’s Suns team. The addition of Fleming makes this Phoenix roster filled with length and defensive identity that it didn’t possess last year. The roster is young, athletic and will be hungry to prove doubters wrong, with this rookie class of Maluach and Fleming leading the charge.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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