As the Boston Celtics consider all their options in the 2025 NBA Draft, St. Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming could be a perfect target with one of their two picks (No. 28 and 32). A well-built forward (who could play some center at the pro level), Fleming has been a quick riser up most boards this draft season.
Despite not playing in a super competitive conference in college, Fleming displayed all the tools necessary to contribute at the NBA level. From his three-point shooting to his incredibly active defense, he has the clear framework to be one of the best role players to come out of this year’s class.
The only question is, how long will it take to translate?
Celtics NBA Draft scouting: Rasheer Fleming
Fleming is from Camden, New Jersey, and attended Camden High School for four years. He committed to play at St. Joseph’s over other small schools, as he was unranked in ESPN’s Top 100 coming out of his senior season.
In his freshman season, Fleming played just 20.5 minutes per game but earned the starting job halfway through the year. By his third and final season with the Hawks, he was playing the third-most minutes on the team.
This past season, his junior year, the soon-to-be 21-year-old appeared in 35 games, starting all of them, and playing 31.3 minutes per contest. He averaged 14.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 53.1% from the field and 39.0% from deep.
At the NBA Draft Combine, Fleming measured in at 6-foot-8 and 0.25 inches without shoes and weighed 232.4 lbs. He also had a 9-foot-1 standing reach and a 7-foot-5 and 0.25-inch wingspan.
Offense
During his time at St. Joseph’s, Fleming played almost exclusively off the ball, setting him up perfectly for the role he will play in the NBA. He’s comfortable in an array of situations, from shooting off the catch to finishing off cuts to the rim.
Fleming’s jumper has a very high release, and he was very efficient from beyond the arc during his time in college. He was comfortable shooting from a few feet beyond the line, too, and he gets his shot off fairly quickly. Though he struggled a bit with contested jumpers, his three-point shot looks ready for NBA basketball.
Raw athleticism highlights Fleming’s ability to get to the hoop. He’s more than comfortable finishing through contact, and his awareness of finding open space on the floor will be a very useful tool.
His strong frame helps him set solid screens while his wingspan allows him to work well out of the roll, finishing lobs with ease. At the same time, he’s a pick-and-pop threat, too, thanks to his silky smooth jumper.
The biggest red flag with Fleming’s game is the same reason he’s so ready to play in the NBA: He’s an off-ball player. Fleming got almost no reps creating for himself with the Hawks, so he’s not the type of player who teams will feel comfortable trusting with self-creation.
His 68.0% free-throw shooting in college also leaves some room for concern about how his shot will translate, though he did up that percentage to 74.3% in his final year with the Hawks.
On top of that, Fleming’s 1.3 assists per game could leave some eyebrows raised regarding his passing ability in the NBA, though that number primarily comes from his lack of on-ball creation at St. Joseph’s.
Though he would be a bit undersized, Fleming should be able to soak up some reps as a small-ball five in the pros. He’s athletic enough to run the pick-and-roll, and his floor spacing would put teams in a bind. The real questions surrounding that idea stem from the other end of the floor.
Defense
Those questions have nothing to do with Fleming’s actual defensive abilities. The lanky forward racked up stocks with the Hawks, using his impressive wingspan and defensive timing to swipe through passing lanes and stuff opponents at the rim.
He’s quick enough to stick with smaller players but big enough to guard fellow forwards (and even opposing bigs for stretches). But where does his true position lie?
The real answer is somewhere in between. Fleming likely fits best as a four in the NBA, especially on the defensive end. He can switch onto bigs if necessary and play help defense in the paint, stuffing shots in a free safety role.
That said, the same way Fleming tends to thrive on the defensive end is also how he gets himself into trouble. Fleming sometimes reaches too far for a steal or stretches himself too thin going for a block, leaving himself a tad out of position.
There’s also some concern regarding the level of competition he faced in college, as St. Joseph’s plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference. So, when tasked with guarding quicker or bigger players, while Fleming looks as though he will hold up fine, there’s no way of truly knowing until the time comes.
Fit with Celtics
With Jayson Tatum slated to miss most or all of next season, and the rest of the roster in a state of offseason flux, there should be room for almost any position to earn minutes.
However, if the Celtics believe Fleming can play some small-ball five minutes, it would do wonders for his fit with this group. He could slot in beautifully as a versatile five-man next to the likes of Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, and Sam Hauser, giving the Celtics plenty of options on both ends of the floor.
But even regardless of position, Fleming’s perfect-role-player tool set makes him an ideal target for the Celtics should he fall far enough in the draft.