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Feb 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) reacts during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Kingston Flemings Just Made Houston Cougars History

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI
By Maanav Gupta | Last updated Feb 25, 2026 11:29 AM ET

The No. 5 Houston Cougars have been going through a tough stretch lately, but are still one of the best teams in the country. There is no doubt about the talent on this team, specifically from the freshmen.

Houston had its best freshmen recruiting class in program history that was highlighted by three five-star prospects that have all developed into their different roles. One of them will go down as one of the best freshmen in Houston basketball history. That is Kingston Flemings, out of Brennan High School in San Antonio.

While he wasn’t among the top freshman names in the country at the start of the season, he is well in the conversation at the top at the moment. Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson knew of his potential during the summer and gave him that spot in the starting lineup. It has paid huge dividends.

Flemings literally burst onto the scene during the non-conference portion of the schedule and wowed the college basketball world with his incredible offensive skills. He chose to come to Houston to grow on defense, get coached hard, and become a better player, and that has happened under Sampson.

While he was not among the top lottery picks early, all of Flemings’ talents have now been displayed, and he is currently projected as the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The awards and recognitions have been plenty for this freshman, and the latest one will go down in Houston stat sheets.

Houston’s All-Time Special Freshman

Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He is an elite scorer. Flemings puts up points. Some of his best performances have come against the top-ranked competition. Houston and Flemings most recently played No. 14 Kansas on Monday, and the 6-foot-4, 190-pound point guard accomplished something special even in a disappointing loss.

With his eighth point in the game, Flemings broke the Houston freshman scoring record and now has 465 points in 2025-26. He topped the previous freshman high of 456 points by guard Rob Williams during the 1979-80 season.

The King of Houston Freshmen @K1ngFlemings now owns the Houston freshman scoring record!#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/h7rCvalGt3
— Houston Men's Hoops (@UHCougarMBK) February 24, 2026

Flemings set the Houston freshman single-season scoring record with a team-high 16 points against Kansas inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse. This was his 17th time leading or tying the team in scoring this season.

With four more games left in the regular season against easier competition than the gauntlet of the last three games, Flemings should be expected to blow by the all-time record with a large gap. After all, the phenom freshman is the leading scorer for the Cougars this season with 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field. He also averages almost two steals per game.

Flemings has been an elite point guard as a freshman and had a 16-game streak of at least four assists in a game. His best performance of the season came against No. 12 Texas Tech in Lubbock, where he set another Houston freshman record and put up a season high 42 points, six assists, and two steals on 58% shooting.

He also scored 23 against Tech in Houston. Flemings also put up 22 against Iowa State on the road, 27 against TCU, 25 against Tennessee, and 21 against Arkansas.

His elite quickness and ability to score on all three levels, along with some of his special passes and work ethic, make him one of the best prospects in this year’s draft class. Flemings was one of 10 midseason candidates for the Bob Cousy Award, presented to the nation’s top point guard.

This article first appeared on Houston Cougars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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