Abstract: A submersible pump electrical motor has a rotor that is divided into sections, and a bearing located between each of the sections for maintaining the shaft of the rotor in axial alignment. The bearing assembly includes a sleeve that is keyed to the shaft. A bearing has an inner portion that rotatably receives the sleeve. The bearing has a flange with a periphery that frictionally engages the stator to prevent the bearing from rotating. The sleeve physically contacts the adjacent rotor sections and transmits forces between them. Washers are located between upper and lower edges of the bearing inner portion for supporting the bearing. The washers have inner diameters that receive the sleeve, and do not carry the weight of any rotor sections located above.