Kingston Flemings Reveals Hawks’ Rookie Duties Before NBA Debut

The Atlanta Hawks have their two first-round picks on food runs for the veterans.

Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor open their first regular season Wednesday at the Orlando Magic. Tip-off at Kia Center is 7 p.m. ET.

Everyone on the roster has given Flemings bits and pieces of advice since camp opened.

"I got Chick-fil-A. I got Chick-fil-A, Zuby got Krispy Kreme," Flemings said Monday. "And then if they ever need anything, just let me know. And they're good vets, so they don't have you doing nothing too crazy."

Atlanta took Flemings eighth overall out of Houston on June 23. Fifteen picks later, it drafted Ejiofor out of St. John's.

Henri Veesaar, the 7-foot center whose draft rights the Hawks also acquired, tore his ACL over the summer. He is expected to miss the season.

Ejiofor grew up in Garland, Texas, and started his college career at Kansas. He transferred to St. John's after one season and stayed three.

St. John's won back-to-back Big East regular-season and tournament titles in Ejiofor's last two seasons under Rick Pitino. As a senior, Ejiofor averaged 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. He blocked 2.1 shots a game.

The Big East named him its Player of the Year. It also named him Defensive Player of the Year.

In Summer League, split between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, he averaged 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds over four games.

On Oct. 12, with nine players ruled out, Atlanta beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-110. Ejiofor finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds and made three 3-pointers.

He tipped in a Flemings miss to open the fourth-quarter scoring. Twenty-eight seconds later, he put back another one for an 87-81 lead.

One check, Flemings figures, he can cover.

"No, they actually usually get the bill," Flemings explained. "So great vets so far. Maybe they get me, I'll get it for one time hopefully and then move on from there."

The two finished their first NBA training camp at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where the Hawks held four days of practice before the preseason.

Three of the five exhibition games were road games. Atlanta won in San Antonio, won in Indianapolis, won in Dallas, and went 4-1.

Flemings, who grew up in San Antonio, started the Oct. 5 opener against the Memphis Grizzlies with CJ McCollum out.

By Friday's 135-111 win at the Dallas Mavericks, the regulars were back and he came off the bench. He had 10 points and 6 assists.

Atlanta's schedule is heavier than anything Flemings played at Houston.

"I wouldn't really say I had a big pinch moment," Flemings said. "We definitely travel a little more than we did in college because we're playing so much, but I've never really had a big pinch moment yet."

Houston played 37 games last season. Flemings started every one and averaged 16.1 points and 5.2 assists, and his 594 points set the program's freshman scoring record.

Atlanta plays 82. Flemings turns 20 on Jan. 3.

The first week runs four games in six days.

After Orlando, the Hawks play at Charlotte on Friday and host the Houston Rockets the next night in their home opener.

That game at State Farm Arena tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Atlanta plays at Houston on Monday.