An acutely self aware Kingston Flemings is shining in NBA Summer League

Some rookie point guards create frequent chances for teammates. Others pressure the hoop relentlessly, forcing defenses into rotation. Few blend both skills like Kingston Flemings, whose blistering speed and sagacious live-dribble processing have fueled a promising first act to his NBA career.

All young basketball players revise, improve and refine their games as they mature and gain experience, especially ones as young as Flemings. The Atlanta Hawks selected the Houston freshman with the eighth overall pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft, in part to solidify their future. But Flemings looks poised to impact the game, unlike most rookie floor generals.

“The best thing I do is get into the paint and find my teammates,” Flemings told The Sporting News.

Through four Summer League games (in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas), Flemings averaged 10 points, 6.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks. Aside from his scoring (42 percent true shooting this summer), he’s dotting his fingerprints on all facets of the game. 

MORE: Kingston Flemings shines defensively in Hawks’ win over Nets

Flemings is a high-volume advantage creator

His blend of paint pressure and live-dribble passing forms a game-breaking primary offensive weapon. Flemings routinely knifed through Brooklyn’s defense before whipping the ball out to shooters and interior outlets. To this point, his Summer League assist rate (42.2 percent) ranks third among all participants.

His awareness of opponents' schemes, even in a setting as terse as Summer League, stands out among his peers. Brooklyn’s defensive approach informed how he’d respond as a passer.

“That was a hedging team [and] a switching team, so I was trying to get to the short roll a lot, get to the skip pass as I do naturally,” Flemings told The Sporting News.

Varied pick-and-roll coverages have challenged Flemings, but he’s always cognizant of what opponents are trying to give up. Against the pressuring point-of-attack defenders and aggressive ball screen coverages that often define Summer League action, he slows the game and fits passes into fleeting windows.

Flemings is still learning how to score at the NBA level

On some possessions, Flemings’ hesitancy closes driving and passing windows that defenses would otherwise permit. He’s taken just 31 shots compared to 27 dimes in these early contests. Timid scoring defangs even the greatest passing talents and, for Atlanta’s rookie point guard, committing to pressuring defenders as a scorer is front of mind.

“I get to the paint whenever I want, but a lot of times the second thing I want to do is score,” Flemings said. “The first thing I want to do is pass…When I go score, it creates easy offense for everyone else.”

First-year pros like him must quickly adjust to the speed, athleticism and physicality of the NBA game. That often leaves rookies floundering on the defensive end, but Flemings has made his presence unmissable, notching six steals and four blocks in four Summer League games.

A mentally and physically taxing Houston defense helped prime him for NBA defense, but it’s still new and different for the eighth overall pick. Modern defenses press handlers higher up and more frequently than in years past. Kelvin Sampson’s Cougar defense only ramped up that pressure in the half court; Flemings pressed on just 29 college possessions, according to Synergy.

“I get a little tired from the game… I got to up my conditioning,” Flemings told The Sporting News. “I have to pick up full court then bring up the ball full court.”

Beyond sheer physicality and force, fledgling NBA players must adapt to the different officiating tendencies compared to the college game. It’s another focus area for Flemings, who understands the nuances of guarding different kinds of players in different spots on the floor.

“They let you get away with a little more when you’re on ball guarding the ball [and] not as much when you’re in the paint,” Flemings said.

Flemings embraced the physicality throughout his time on the court. He appreciates the contact the NBA allows, especially against taller and heavier players. Unlike his Houston defense, which primarily blitzed and hedged ball screens, the Hawks will ask him to switch on to wings and bigs.

He defended the interior brilliantly late in the fourth quarter, switching onto Danny Wolf and stripping him deep in the paint. A 70-pound, 10-inch difference between he and his opponent didn’t deter Flemings and led to a foul on this key play, his swipe down helping secure Atlanta’s win.

Kingston Flemings guarding a big on a switch. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Ng5EIJKgNT

Flemings coughed the ball up six times against the Nets after three straight one-turnover games, but he clearly processes the game at levels few teenage point guards reach. He noted his low free-throw attempts and 3-point volume as key improvement areas and hopes to showcase progress there.

Through four Summer League games, Flemings converted 4-16 shots in the paint. He’s consistently touching the paint off the dribble, but he’s prone to rushing attempts without sound footwork and must continue to play under more control.

The special moments and continuous two-way impact shine through these scoring blemishes. Improving as an off-dribble 3-point shooter and sharpening his pace and footwork will only amplify his passing and slashing strengths. Even at this stage, Flemings offers glimpses of his potential final form.

That apex version of him sits at the finish of years of physical, mental and skill development. Flemings flew through the starting line. If his current pace is any indication, 

“As time goes on, I’ll continue to get better.”

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