It didn’t take long for Kingston Flemings to force his way into the Atlanta Hawks’ plans. Just 14 days into the season, the rookie had already claimed the starting point guard job, and through 11 games, he’s only sharpened his hold on it.
What stands out first is how calm he looks running the offense. Flemings has a knack for slowing things down, picking his spots, and choosing between a mid-range look or a kick-out pass. That poise has given Atlanta a steadier feel on offense, and it’s helped open things up for the players around him.
Since moving into the starting lineup, he’s averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds. The numbers are solid, but the film tells the bigger story: he’s making smart reads and playing with a level of control that doesn’t usually show up this early in a career.
Passing has been the foundation. Summer league already hinted at what was coming, when he posted 27 assists to nine turnovers across eight games. Now he’s carrying that same playmaking touch into the regular season.
The speed is impossible to miss, either. At 19 years old, Flemings brings real burst, and Quin Snyder has already leaned into it. Atlanta currently ranks sixth in fast-break points, and that number could climb with Flemings in the starting five.
He’s not just pushing tempo, though. His shot profile has held up well despite a bigger three-point volume, and the efficiency has been there too. Flemings is shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc and 52.1% from the field.
That balance matters because it goes beyond offense. Flemings has also shown he can defend, whether he’s staying in front of the ball or jumping passing lanes for steals. That two-way ability was a major reason Atlanta selected him, and it may end up being the most important part of his game for this team.
The Hawks have seen what an offense-first point guard looks like in this core. Flemings offers something different, and potentially more valuable over time, because of the way he impacts both ends. He brings a toughness at the position that Atlanta didn’t really have during Trae Young’s era unless Young was on the bench.
His top outing so far came against the Miami Heat, when he finished with 23 points, five assists and five rebounds. He went 9-for-12 from the field in that game, a strong showing against a potential playoff team and another reminder that he’s not playing like a typical rookie starter.
He won’t be perfect, and nobody should expect that this early. But the Hawks already have a clear sense of what they’ve got in Flemings: a young guard whose game looks built for more than just the short term.
In Other News...
Hawks Get A Big Opening In Pace Battle With Short-Handed Bulls
The Bulls already difficult start just got a little more complicated heading into their matchup with the Hawks. Chicago is trying to dig out of a 1-9 hole, and the game brings together two teams that like to push the tempo, which usually makes for a faster, looser kind of night than the standings might suggest.
For Atlanta, the opening is obvious: a short-handed opponent in a game where pace can turn into extra possessions and easy offense. Chicago will have to lean harder on its other young pieces to keep up, but the bigger question is how well it can hold together against a Hawks team that should be eager to run and pressure the game from the opening tip. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Still Have One Defensive Problem Without Mo Gueye
The Hawks search for sturdier rim protection has been a recurring theme early on, and the absence of Mo Gueye has only made the frontcourt rotation thinner. With injuries already testing Atlantas interior defense, the team has been forced to lean on stopgap answers while trying to keep opponents out of the paint and limit easy looks around the basket.
Gueye is now moving in the right direction, but the timeline still leaves Atlanta waiting. The Hawks said he has progressed to on-court activities and will be re-evaluated in about four weeks, which means the team will be operating without him for at least another month as it keeps working to shore up that defensive issue in the meantime. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Get A Real Chance To Build Momentum In Chicago
After a four-day break, the Hawks head into Chicago with a chance to reset and keep their season moving in the right direction. The Bulls have been scuffling, and the matchup comes at a time when Atlanta can take advantage of a team that has had trouble finding consistency while dealing with injuries and uncertainty in the rotation.
For the Hawks, this is the kind of spot where the details matter, especially on the interior and in the backcourt. Recent trends point to Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels as the players most likely to shape the game for Atlanta, giving the Hawks a realistic path to build momentum if they handle business against an opponent that has left plenty of openings. [Read more 🡒]