The Atlanta Hawks own two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, and both came from two different teams via trades. They received the 13th selection from the Sacramento Kings and the 22nd pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. Atlanta’s starting lineup of Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu is almost a lock for the 2025-26 campaign.
In contrast, questions surround the bench’s versatility and depth. At pick 13, the Hawks might look at two athletic defenders and shooters to round out their reserves, Carter Bryant and Rasheer Fleming. Given how they’ve surrounded Young with athletic two-way wings, the Hawks would be wise to continue this trend. Let’s explore how both Bryant and Fleming would fit with the Hawks.
Hawks Could Look At Two Athletic Wings At Pick 13
Mar 15, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Saint Joseph’s Hawks forward Rasheer Fleming (13) shoots the ball over Saint Joseph’s Hawks forward Shawn Simmons II (10) in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Carter Bryant is a High Upside Wing
On the surface, Bryant’s stats at the University of Arizona do not jump off the page. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and shot 37.1% from deep in 19.3 minutes per game. However, these numbers do not tell the whole story. He put up one block and 0.9 steals per contest, flashing his defensive playmaking ability to create fastbreak opportunities.
Bryant measured 6-foot-6.5 (without shoes) with a 6-foot-11-inch wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine. His athleticism and long wingspan allow him to collect highlight-reel weakside blocks and vertically contest strong drives to the rim. He moves his feet well and stays in front of opposing wings, limiting their easy paths to the paint. In his combine interview, Bryant mentions he watches film on elite NBA defenders such as Toumani Camara, Jrue Holiday, and Herb Jones.
Byrant’s three-point volume, 2.8 attempts per game, is low for a shooter of his caliber. That number has to increase at the next level, but he is not afraid to let it fly with a defender closing out. This should give teams confidence that he can be more aggressive from downtown. However, Bryant will need to improve his shot creation and ball handling to take his game to the next level professionally.
The Arizona wing showed great off-ball awareness when relocating and cutting, making him an ideal fit for the Hawks’ fast-paced, motion offense. Young, the 2024-25 NBA assist leader at 11.6 dimes per game, could find Bryant to finish strong in transition or splash a corner three in the halfcourt. Caris LeVert is a free agent this summer, leaving a wing vacancy on Atlanta’s bench. Bryant, while not offering the same shot creation as LeVert, could provide better defense and spot-up shooting.
Rasheer Fleming is a Two-Way Threat
Fleming measured 6-foot-8, inches with a massive 7-foot-5-inch wingspan at the combine. The former Saint Joseph’s University forward averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, shooting 39% from deep on 4.5 attempts in his third season.
He is a great havoc creator on defense, blocking shots at the rim and cutting off passing lanes for easy steals. His blend of athleticism, strength, and shooting at his size makes him a strong roller to the rim and pick-and-pop threat. Fleming routinely finishes through defenders in traffic, posting a 68% rim field goal percentage. He guarded wings and bigs at Saint Joseph’s, posting a 98th percentile in defensive rating. Even though he played three years in college, Fleming is still just 20 years old. If he continues to grow, he could develop into a dynamic offensive small-ball center.
Fleming showed limited self-creation in his collegiate career. However, during his combine interview, he told reporters he has a better handle than many realize.
“I can put the ball on the floor. I haven’t shown it a lot in the season, or just the college career in general, but I can put the ball on the floor. That’s something I can continue to work on,” said Fleming. If he develops a reliable handle, he could outperform a lot of people’s offensive expectations.
In Atlanta, he likely slots in behind Johnson at power forward. Head coach Quin Snyder had to choose between defense and offense, playing Mouhamed Gueye and Georges Niang at the four this season after Johnson’s season-ending shoulder injury. Fleming solves this issue with production on both sides of the ball.
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