Kingston Flemings is already getting the kind of backing most rookies can only hope for.
The Atlanta Hawks made that clear this week when the full roster turned up in San Antonio to surprise the 19-year-old at his high school jersey retirement ceremony. Flemings, whose maturity and feel for the game drew plenty of praise at media day, got a show of support before the preseason even really got rolling.
The moment was simple, but it said plenty about where the Hawks are trying to go with their young point guard. Building around a rookie takes more than patience on game night.
It takes buy-in when things are easy, and even more when they’re not. Atlanta is making sure Flemings knows he has that backing.
Flemings had already given the team a reason to feel encouraged in his preseason debut. He was originally expected to come off the bench behind veteran CJ McCollum, but a late injury report change pushed him into the starting lineup.
Thrown into that spot, he held his own. He wasn’t flawless, but he showed enough to keep the momentum moving in the right direction.
That matters for a player in his position. A 19-year-old selected in the top ten doesn’t often land in a situation where he’s expected to be part of the nightly rotation right away. Flemings is, even if he isn’t projected to open the season in the starting five.
The long-term idea is obvious: he’s being groomed to take over eventually. If he keeps stacking strong performances, that case gets clearer fast, even this season.
For now, the Hawks are doing the other part of the job too - making sure the rookie feels the support off the court, not just when the shots are falling. In the early stages of his career, that kind of chemistry can matter just as much as talent.
In Other News...
Hawks Preseason Opener Vs Pacers Could Reveal A Lot Fast
The Hawks preseason opener against the Pacers arrives with more intrigue than your typical October tune-up, especially with both teams still looking to sort out where they stand in the East. Atlanta has added a new defensive piece in Lu Dort, and this game may offer the first look at how he fits into the mix, while the broader backdrop is a matchup between clubs that expect the regular season to matter.
Kingston Flemings is another reason to watch closely after flashing in San Antonio, where the rookie posted a strong all-around preseason line. Player availability on both sides is still unsettled, so the actual rotation could look different by tipoff, but that uncertainty is part of what makes this opener worth keeping an eye on - it may tell us more than the final score does. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Stuck With Their New Identity Even When It Looked Rough Early
The Hawks got a useful early look at what this new version of the roster is supposed to be in a preseason win over the Spurs, and it was not always pretty. Atlanta came out flat from the perimeter, but the group kept its poise long enough to steady itself and turn the game around before the night was over.
CJ McCollum was part of the mix as the Hawks found better rhythm, and the energy shifted once the second quarter opened things up. Asa Newell, Corey Kispert and Kingston Flemings all had a hand in the swing, giving Atlanta the kind of balanced push it will be looking for when shots are not falling cleanly at the start. [Read more 🡒]
Dream Just Raised The Standard For What Hawks Fans Expect
Atlanta sports has a new benchmark now, and it came from across the womens side of the city. The Dreams run to the 2026 WNBA Finals has put a spotlight on how far a defense-first blueprint can go when it is built with purpose, especially after the roster addition of Angel Reese, the leagues 2026 Defensive Player of the Year. For Hawks fans, it is hard not to notice the parallel: the Dream have shown what a clear identity can look like when it is supported by the right personnel.
That matters because the Hawks have spent the offseason pushing in a similar direction, trying to become tougher and more disruptive on that end of the floor. The comparison does not mean the outcomes will match, but it does raise the bar for what a successful reset can look like in Atlanta. If the Hawks are serious about joining the citys teams in that conversation, the next step is not just adding defense-minded pieces, but proving they can turn the plan into something just as unmistakable as the Dreams. [Read more 🡒]