Kingston Flemings Reveals What He’s Learning From Hawks’ Elite Defenders

Dyson Daniels led the NBA in steals two seasons ago. Kingston Flemings sees him every day at Atlanta Hawks practice.

The eighth overall pick makes his regular-season debut Wednesday at the Orlando Magic, with tip-off at 7 p.m. ET at Kia Center.

Flemings has told Daniels he can guard someone else once in a while.

"Dyson, the way he guards," Flemings said Monday. "He's like an annoying defender, almost. Because he guards me every single day in practice, he's always my matchup, I be telling him, like, sometimes you can guard someone else, it's cool. But nah, he's just a pesky defender, on and off ball. It's almost like you don't even realize he's guarding you until he's right there, so that's how he gets a lot of his steals."

"Picking up on him, Nickeil, how he uses his body, his frame," Flemings added. "You wouldn't think he was strong, but he's definitely a strong guy for his frame. And then, obviously, Lu, just the strength he plays with, being able to guard fours."

Daniels averaged 3.0 steals per game in 2024-25. He won Most Improved Player that season, made the All-Defensive First Team, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Last season, he had 149 steals in 76 games, 2.0 per game. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 33.2 minutes and made the All-Defensive Second Team. He shot 51.7% from the field and 18.8% from 3-point range.

Atlanta acquired Daniels from New Orleans in 2024 in the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Australian signed a four-year, $100 million extension on Oct. 20, 2025.

In the first round against the New York Knicks, Daniels had 8 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in a 109-108 win in Game 3. New York won the series in six games.

On Oct. 8 in San Antonio, Daniels had 13 points and 11 rebounds, 6 of them offensive, in 21 minutes of a 123-116 win.

He sat out Oct. 12 against the Oklahoma City Thunder with five other regulars. In Friday's 135-111 win at the Dallas Mavericks, he needed 7 shots for 8 points and added 2 steals and a block.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, last season's Most Improved Player, led Atlanta with 25 points in that game. Luguentz Dort, who arrived July 19 from Oklahoma City, had 3 steals.

Dort made the All-Defensive First Team in 2025 and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Flemings averaged 1.5 steals per game in his one season at Houston, with 56 in 37 games. His high was 8, against Florida State in December. All three of his preseason dunks came off steals.

At training camp in Nashville, defensive rotations were the area that challenged him most.

He started two preseason games, both with CJ McCollum out, and came off the bench in the other three.

Friday, he had 10 points and a team-high 6 assists.

After Orlando, the Hawks host the Houston Rockets in their home opener Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena.