Three Questions Hawks' Kingston Flemings Has to Answer in His Rookie Season

The Atlanta Hawks have had a busy offseason and certainly had a busy draft, where they added three rookies.

At the top of their draft haul was University of Houston product Kingston Flemings, who landed with Atlanta at No. 8 overall.

If all goes to plan, Flemings should become a franchise cornerstone for the Hawks. But there are some questions the point guard will have to answer right off the bat in his debut season, which we’ll be taking a look at today.

The biggest knock on Flemings is his shooting form. His mechanics are a bit unusual, which can be a valid concern in some cases when a player makes the jump to the NBA.

But Flemings is an interesting case because he has always been a pretty good shooter. His skills coach even said as much earlier this summer, noting that the guard's percentages have been strong throughout his basketball journey despite his unconventional shot.

In his lone season at Houston, Flemings shot 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, a strong mark. He also made 84.5 percent of his free throws, which can be a good measuring stick of whether a player is a truly good shooter. Overall, he finished an efficient 47.6 percent from the field with the Cougars.

It doesn't sound like an overhaul to Flemings' shot is in the cards, so whether he can rely on it consistently at the NBA level is an important question. He did struggle to find the bottom of the net across four Summer League games, as he shot just 31.8 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from long range.

While Flemings didn't dominate as a scorer in Summer League play, he certainly left an impression as a passer.

Tabbed in one pre-draft scouting report as an "excellent floor general" who makes "mature decisions" and creates "easy opportunities for teammates," Flemings showed why in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. He averaged 6.8 assists per game and finished with at least five assists in each appearance he made.

That came after his passing went a very long way for Houston last season, as he averaged 5.2 assists per contest compared to just 1.8 turnovers.

But nothing compares to the speed of the game at the NBA level, so he will have to prove his passing chops once more.

Flemings is sure to have a role as a rookie. But the good news for anyone hoping to see him ease his way into his NBA career is that he will likely come off the bench behind veteran guard CJ McCollum.

That should take some pressure off the 19-year-old, but he will certainly still be anxious to prove that he's capable of being on the floor in any situation for a Hawks team with playoff aspirations.

It's no secret that there are high expectations for Flemings in the big picture, but will he show enough to be trusted as one of the main guys in his debut season? Will he be a major part of the playoff rotation if the Hawks get there?

He'll have 82 games to provide an answer to that question.