Kingston Flemings is wasting no time building his profile in Atlanta. The No. 8 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has already lined up a brand deal tied to one of his longtime off-court hobbies, joining the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 video game collaboration ahead of its Oct. 23 release.
That puts Flemings in some familiar company. The rookie guard follows NBA names like Kobe Bryant, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, who have all worked with Call of Duty before.
For Flemings, though, this one clearly means something personal. He said Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was his introduction to the franchise and still sits at the top of his list.
"I've been playing college for a while," Flemings said. "Probably since I was eight.
I think I looked up when Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 came out, which was 2015, I think. So I've been playing for a while.
I mean, I play with my friends, everything like that, and I've always loved playing it. So when (a crossover was) brought up, I definitely wanted to really get to it."
Flemings also said the game was a regular part of life at Houston, where he and his Cougars teammates would go head-to-head. He pointed to Joseph Tugler, a potential 2027 NBA Draft prospect, as one of the best players on that roster.
That habit has carried over to the NBA. Flemings is already running games with new Hawks teammates like Keshon Gilbert.
On the court, the rookie arrives with real momentum. He was one of the top 10 picks after a freshman season at Houston in which he averaged 16.1 points, 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.7% from 3-point range.
Atlanta has a path for him to matter right away, too. The Hawks reached the postseason in 2025-26, but their guard depth and ball-handling were issues once the playoffs arrived. Flemings gives them a young backcourt piece who can step into that need early and grow from there.
He has already begun working with his new teammates before training camp opens later this month, and that should give him a head start once the season gets rolling.
"I'm working out the Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum, so learning from them," Flemings said. "Just different parts of the game, parts I don't even look at.
It helps a lot. I mean, having guys on the team that are accomplished players and have had some years in the league is great."
In Other News...
Dyson Daniels Is Forcing A Big Hawks Rethink On Offense
Dyson Daniels has already given the Hawks a lot to think about on offense, even with the outside shot still a work in progress. Atlanta president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh made it clear the team is not measuring Daniels by one skill alone, pointing to his ball handling, playmaking, defense and rebounding as reasons he has become such an important piece.
Saleh also said Daniels is one of the most impactful players in the NBA, a notable stance for a player still fighting through three-point shooting issues. The bigger takeaway for Atlanta is that Daniels is not being viewed as a niche contributor or a temporary fit, but as someone the Hawks want heavily involved because of how the team functions when he is out there. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Final Roster Choice Says A Lot About Quin Snyders Priorities
Atlanta trimmed its roster to 15 players ahead of media day, and the final squeeze offered a pretty clear read on what Quin Snyder and the front office wanted most this offseason. The Hawks leaned into veteran presence and rotational fit, choosing a path that puts a premium on experience around a group still trying to find the right blend. It was less about adding another name and more about shaping the edges of the roster to match the way Snyder wants to play.
Dorian Finney-Smith stands out as the kind of player Atlanta believes can fit that vision, especially after a stretch that suggests there could still be bounce-back value in his game within this system. The contrast with Buddy Hield only sharpens the point, because the Hawks were willing to make a tough call on a well-known veteran in order to keep the piece they felt better matched their priorities. For a team trying to settle its rotation before the season begins, it is the sort of decision that can say plenty without needing much explanation. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Move On From Keon Johnson And Raise An Immediate Question
The Hawks moved quickly on Keon Johnson, waiving the former first-round pick shortly after bringing him in on an Exhibit 10 contract. It was a brief stop in Atlanta, but it still fit the larger story around Johnson, whose NBA path has kept him in the conversation as a player teams can take a look at when training camp and roster churn start to pick up.
Now the focus shifts to where he lands next, and there are a few logical places to watch. Denver, Chicago and Portland all stand out because of the way their rosters are currently built and the kind of opportunity Johnson could still find there, making his next move the more important one after Atlanta chose to move on. [Read more 🡒]