PHOENIX — The development of athletes is all about the process.
But getting some moments to hang the hat on throughout the process can be crucial too, like Phoenix Suns rookie Rasheer Fleming hitting a game-winning shot with the G League Valley Suns on Wednesday.
RASHEER FLEMING. GAME WINNER. pic.twitter.com/uua1TpbYrl
— Valley Suns (@GLeagueSuns) December 4, 2025
The G League overtime rules are different from the NBA, where the winner is the first team to seven overtime points from the tied mark after regulation. Getting the Valley Suns to the “target score” of 122 while trailing by two secured the victory.
Fleming, who shot 11-for-18 on the night and 4-for-9 from 3, said the target score change threw him off at first and bogged the game down with both teams searching for 3s.
“It lowkey made it more competitive ’cause it’s like first to seven … like ain’t no time limit but it’s seven points, that’s nothing,” Fleming said. “So I think it slowed down but it got intense for sure.”
His corner 3 to end it capped off a night where Fleming and No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach each finished with 27 points for their G League career highs, adding 13 and 15 rebounds, respectively.
Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott said experience in competitive moments of a live-game setting — and notably playing well in that setting — are signs of steps being taken in their development.
It was the case for Maluach especially, as his one foul in 36 minutes on Wednesday was a large step up from fouling out in his first G League game in 26 minutes on Nov. 14 and picking up five fouls in 29 minutes the next time.
The young big also has 11 offensive rebounds and seven blocks in his last two G League games after tallying two and four, respectively, in his first two contests down there.
“At this time in their careers, like it’s a different game,” Ott said. “And they’re in different situations than they even played in college. … There’s only so many reps you can take against coaches or in 3-on-3 situations. You need the full totality of it to know exactly where you’re at.
“So we know that their role is slightly different in the Valley than what it would be for us, but some of the same things, we want that to be able to translate. So Rasheer’s efficiency and (Maluach’s) offensive glass and defensive presence, like that stuff translates.”
Ott expressed gratitude for the Valley Suns playing at Mullett Arena in Tempe, less than 10 miles away from Phoenix’s practice facility, where both players were getting in work the morning after the G League game.
Not all NBA teams have that luxury of proximity, as many affiliates are multiple states away from their NBA team — the Denver Nuggets paired with the Grand Rapids Gold in Michigan being one example.