ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥

Most NBA media and fans already knew about the Suns’ top pick, 7-2 big Khaman Maluach, long before the team got him at No. 10 overall via the Kevin Durant trade to Houston. The high-profile big played in the Final Four during his one-and-done year at Duke.

But not as familiar are St. Joseph’s product Rasheer Fleming, a 6-9 forward, and 3-point marksman Koby Brea from Kentucky, whom the Suns landed at No. 31 and 41.

The three rookies were set to make their Suns debuts at the Las Vegas summer league on Friday evening against the Washington Wizards.

During the press conference, Suns general manager Brian Gregory described how all three fit the team’s planned identity of grit and toughness.

The South Sudanese-born Maluach, who was raised in a Ugandan refugee camp, brings constant “energy and enthusiasm,� Gregory said.

Fleming is from Camden, New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Gregory said Fleming’s mother had a military background that helped mold his toughness. Brea is a Dominican raised in The Bronx in basketball’s Mecca, New York City. Before Brea transferred to Kentucky last season, he played his previous four years at Dayton, where Gregory also coached from 2003-11.

“I think just being from the Tri-State area just builds a lot of toughness, just growing up playing against all competitive people, but usually playing against older guys that just want to make everybody better,� Fleming said. “So it’s a big thing for us.�

The Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut has a long list of NBA talent. Shaquille O’Neal, Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving and New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns are from New Jersey. Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy, Marcus Camby, former All-Star Vin Baker and Los Angeles Clippers’ Kris Dunn are from Connecticut. NYC legends Connie Hawkins, Charlie Scott and Stephon Marbury played for the Suns.

Fleming said he and Brea hadn’t faced each other before playing three times in college during the Atlantic-10 Conference and tournament schedules. Brea and Dayton beat St. Joseph’s in all three of those matchups when Fleming was a freshman and sophomore.

Brea said he and Fleming officially met and spent some time together last summer.

“It’s just crazy how everything works, just being his teammate now,� Brea said. “It’s unbelievable and I’m excited for it and for everybody else.�

During the Suns’ first two practices on Monday and Tuesday, last year’s top Phoenix pick, Ryan Dunn, said the 6-foot-6 Brea is trying to prove that he’s more than, as Gregory said, “the best 3-point shooter in college basketball the past three years.�

Brea averaged 43.4% from deep during that span and was ranked sixth in the nation in 3-point percentage last season.

“He’s been playing hard from the jump,� Dunn said at practice Tuesday. “We all know that Koby can shoot the clip out the ball anytime he wants. That’s the biggest thing we’ve been talking about, just finding other stuff in the game and honing in on your strengths, but keep working on your weaknesses. Whether it’s defense or finishing at the rim or trying to attack somebody off the dribble. Continue to learn and continue to grow, but at least the last two practices I’ve seen him grow a lot.�

The Suns’ new coach, Jordan Ott, said that Brea’s capability to “shoot off the move� is becoming a rarity in today’s game. Also, Ott believes Brea’s 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame creates an advantage for him for separation to get shots off.

“He’s a shooter and it’s a different line, different speed, but we want him to be a really good basketball player,� Ott added about Brea. “It’s not just the shooting piece that we’re interested in. It’s the human like you guys saw in the press conference, the edge about him where he’s from, the family piece is real, has a sense of pride where he’s come from.�

Fleming is a versatile four-man who put up 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.4 steals and 39% from 3 last season. Ott said he liked how Fleming was effectively utilized as a tall wing coming off screens at his size in the post in the NBA-style offense of St. Joseph’s, and on defense.

Ott’s assistant DeMarre Carroll, who’ll be the Suns’ Summer League coach, had similar physical attributes and skills to Fleming. Carroll called Fleming a “freak athlete� who is “way more athletic� than Caroll was during his 11-year NBA career as a reliable 3-and-D player.

“You start with what you’re good at,� Ott said about Fleming. “You don’t try to come to this level and do something that you’re not good at. The 3-and-D piece, if you can do that at a high level, that makes for a long career, too.�