Kingston Flemings Says the Atlanta Hawks' Young, Fast Roster Fits His Game

Kingston Flemings believed the Atlanta Hawks suited his skill set before they drafted him eighth overall.

The 6-foot-3 guard, introduced Thursday with rookies Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, watched Atlanta last season and liked how the young roster fared against top teams.

"I watch a lot of basketball. I watched them throughout last season and into the playoffs," Flemings said. "Adding a veteran like CJ is huge. They played a Knicks team in the playoffs that only lost a few games, and Atlanta beat them twice. Seeing how young they were and how they competed really stood out. They play fast, they play hard and they defend. That's something all three of us take pride in as well."

The Hawks went 20-6 after the All-Star break, the best mark in the East, after trading franchise guard Trae Young to Washington in February for CJ McCollum. They reached the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and skipped the play-in for the first time in four years.

Atlanta then took the third-seeded Knicks to six games. Flemings is right that the Hawks beat them twice, both by a point in Games 2 and 3, to lead 2-1 before New York won the series. The Knicks dropped just three games on their way to the title, two of them in Atlanta.

Flemings led Houston in scoring, assists, and steals as a freshman, averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals on 47.6% shooting and 38.7% from 3. He plays fast and pressures the ball, the way Atlanta played down the stretch.

He said the Hawks were where he wanted to land, pointing to the pace, the coaching staff, and the guards already on the roster.

"They're a young team that plays fast and plays hard," Flemings said. "The coaching staff was really important to me. The players they already have, the guards they already have and just the people throughout the organization made it a great fit."

President of basketball operations Onsi Saleh said Flemings' feel for the game stood out.

"Kingston creates advantages, and with NBA spacing, there's another level for him to reach," Saleh said. "He's an incredible processor of the game. He rarely turns the ball over, and the way he sees the game makes everyone around him better."

Flemings joins a young core that returns All-Star forward Jalen Johnson and Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker, along with Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, and 2025 first-rounder Asa Newell. McCollum gives the rookies a veteran guard to learn behind.

Saleh said minutes will be earned, not handed out. Flemings did not push back.

"At the end of the day, I'm a basketball player," he said. "Whatever I can do to help this team, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

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