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What role can Akai Fleming carve out as a freshman?

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Arvon Bacon | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 9:00 AM ET

True freshman Akai Fleming was the second-highest rated recruit in the 2025 class for Georgia Tech and head coach Damon Stoudamire. He was a top 100 overall recruit and a four-star prospect. Fleming was another recruiting win for Stoudamire in-state, as he convinced Fleming to stay home and become a part of something he is building on the Flats.

He is one of the most talented shooting guards you will find and is a straight bucket getter. He starred at Osborne, where he made a name for himself torching defenders and eventually playing at top camps across the country. At Osborne, he averaged 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and a block as a junior. That stellar play saw major leagues wanting his services. I had the chance to look at him before he became a national prospect, and I was also intrigued by the manner in which he carried himself and how potent a scorer he was on the hardwood.

What will his role be?

One of the leagues was OTE (Overtime Elite), one of the top high school basketball leagues in the country. OTE has been responsible for producing names like the Ausar and Amen Thompson, and Rob Dillingham (Minnesota), to name a few. Fleming lit it up there, posting four 20-point games and finishing in double-figures in all but two games he played. Fleming had his season cut short with the Cold Hearts last season due to a knee injury and decided to shut it down in preparation for the college basketball season last December. In the 10 games he played, he averaged 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals.

Fleming is finally healthy and looking to make his mark this year with the Yellow Jackets and become a key player for Stoudamire. He’s already garnered the interest of his head coach, who has spoken highly of him.

“We have Akai Fleming, a local kid. I think that the biggest thing is that nobody has seen him in a couple of years, about a year and a half, because he hadn't been healthy, but he's healthy. He's athletic. He brings a different dimension than what we've had,” said Stoudamire.

Fleming is one to keep an eye on as a true freshman with the scoring prowess he has and the different element he can bring to the table for coach Stoudamire. He’s a rare breed of scoring guard and one who can command an offense and run the show. He is a three-level scorer that can convert anywhere on the court, and once he gets going, he is hard to stop. He is another tough shot maker that will be infused into the roster and that can make an early impact. The role he can carve out is a starting guard for coach Stoudamire, who can be a player he relies on to get buckets for the Yellow Jackets in 2025.

He will likely fly under the radar heading into his freshman campaign, but very well could be one of the players at the end of the season you are saying is one of the top freshmen in the country and one who had one of the biggest impacts on his team early in his career.