Hawks take Kingston Flemings with 8th overall pick

Despite a flurry of rumors leading up to the draft surrounding the Hawks, Atlanta stood pat and took Houston point guard Kingston Flemings with the 8th overall pick.

The draft fell the way most predicted months ago. The big four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson went with the top four picks — and then the four star freshman point guards followed. The Hawks simply took the one that fell to them, but they got a guy who should be able to step in from day one and start at a position that plagued them following the mid-season trade of Trae Young.

Flemings might not be an elite level passer like Young was coming out of college, but he is a true floor general that stays within himself and limits his turnovers.

Where fans will notice a significant improvement is on the other side of the ball. You don’t start for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars without being a willing defender. Flemings’ defense is his biggest strength coming out of college. His measurements were a little shorter than expected at the NBA Combine — standing a hair under 6-foot-3 with a similar wingspan — but his college tape doesn’t show that. Flemings was a menace on that end of the floor, helped by his strong frame and athleticism.

When discussing weaknesses, one will immediately notice his shooting stroke. It’s not as smooth as some of the other point guards that will be selected in the lottery, but it didn’t seem to matter in college, as he shot nearly 39% from three and 85% from the free throw line.

That shooting stroke and his ability to continue to develop his overall game offensively will ultimately determine Flemings’ ceiling. He doesn’t necessarily look like he’s going to translate into an All-Star caliber guard at the next level, but some of that also can be attributed to the system Sampson likes to run at Houston.

But of all the point guards selected after the fourth pick, Flemings might have the highest floor. He’s the definition of a coachable and winning player — the type of selfless point guard that Hawks fans will become fond of very quickly.