Vern Fleming

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Vern Fleming

| image =

| width =

| caption =

| number = 10

| position = Point guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 185

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|02|02}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| high_school = Mater Christi (Astoria, New York)

| college = Georgia (1980–1984)

| draft_year = 1984

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 18

| draft_team = Indiana Pacers

| career_start = 1984

| career_end = 1997

| years1 = {{nbay|1984|start}}–{{nbay|1994|end}}

| team1 = Indiana Pacers

| years2 = {{nbay|1995|full=y}}

| team2 = New Jersey Nets

| years3 = 1996–1997

| team3 = Limoges

| stats_league = NBA

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 10,125 (11.3 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 3,012 (3.4 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 4,293 (4.8 apg)

| highlights =

Third-team All-American – NABC (1984)
First-team All-SEC (1984)
First-team Parade All-American (1980)

| bbr = flemive01

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry | {{flagicon|USA}} United States }}

}}

Vern Fleming (born February 2, 1962{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3702/vern-fleming |title=Vern Fleming |publisher= ESPN}}{{cite web |url= https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fl/vern-fleming-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418045316/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fl/vern-fleming-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Vern Fleming |publisher=Sports Reference}}{{cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/vern-fleming |title=Vern Fleming | website= olympic.org |publisher= International Olympic Committee}}) is an American former professional basketball player who played twelve seasons in the NBA from 1984 until 1996 for the Indiana Pacers and New Jersey Nets. He played college basketball for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Early life

Vern Fleming was born in New York City, New York. He attended high school at Mater Christi in Astoria, New York, where he was a star basketball player.

College and Olympics

As a college player at the University of Georgia, Fleming won a gold medal as a member of the United States men's basketball team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fl/vern-fleming-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418045316/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fl/vern-fleming-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Vern Fleming Olympic Results |access-date=July 14, 2018}} and then commenced his professional career as the 18th overall selection in the 1984 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.

Professional athlete

Fleming played point guard with the Pacers for eleven years, often sharing starter duties with both Haywoode Workman and Mark Jackson. Perhaps his best season as a pro came in 1990, when he started all 82 games of the season while averaging career bests of 14.3 points per game and 7.4 assists per game.{{cite web |title=Vern Fleming Per Game Averages | website= basketball-reference.com |url= https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/flemive01.html#per_game}} The following season, on November 23, 1990, Fleming recorded a career high 18 assists, along with scoring 14 points, in a 112–111 win over the Houston Rockets.{{cite web |title=Vern Fleming Career High 18 Assists |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/vern-fleming-career-high-assists |website= Statmuse.com}} On April 2, 1994, while playing against the Orlando Magic, Fleming lost several teeth and suffered several lacerations inside his mouth after a collision with Shaquille O'Neal.{{cite web |title= Fleming Rebounds From Injuries |url= https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1994-04-29-9404291077-story.html |website= Orlando Sentinel |date=April 29, 1994 }} Fleming spent his final year in the NBA playing for the New Jersey Nets. He retired in 1997.