The busiest time of the NBA offseason is always the best time. The draft, free agency, and summer league bring excitement to fans while their favorite team strategizes about its next winning move. With the draft and rapid-fire start of free agency behind us, the energy now shifts to summer league, where players try to prove they belong and can succeed at the highest level.
The Atlanta Hawks begin their summer league journey on July 4. They will play in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, meaning they have at least seven games. Atlanta's 2026 rookies, Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar, will all play, but there are several other interesting players Hawks fans should keep an eye on throughout the next few weeks.
Here are two big storylines to focus on when the action unfolds.
Can Kingston Flemings increase his three-point volume ?
Questions surround Flemings' three-point shot heading into his NBA career. He shot a very efficient 38.7% from beyond the arc at the University of Houston but only took 2.9 attempts. However, the Cougars ranked 108th in 3-point volume this past season. Head Coach Kelvin Sampson wanted his players to attack inside, as he did not have many good shooters on the roster.
As a result, Flemings relied on his masterful, pull-up mid-range game. However, Hawks Head Coach Quin Snyder wants his players to take the two most efficient shots in basketball, a three-pointer or a layup, staying away from the mid-range.
This method has resulted in many Atlanta players, like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson, among others, having career years under Snyder.
The same can happen for Flemings, especially since he can get by his defender with lightning-quick speed and acceleration. If the 19-year-old buys into this system during summer league, his three-point attempts will rise. It would present quite a challenge for defenders to take away Flemings' perimeter shot and slashing ability off the dribble.
Eli Ndiaye gets another chance after an unfortunate rookie campaign
Atlanta signed Eli Ndiaye to a two-way contract after the 2025 NBA Draft. He made a great first impression in summer league last year when he collected 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes in his debut.
However, a wrist injury prevented him from playing another game in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Ndiaye suffered a torn labrum on Dec. 9, 2025, which ended his rookie season, and the Hawks waived him as a result.
While Ndiaye did not sign another contract with Atlanta this summer, the 22-year-old is back on the summer league roster this year. He displayed great skills as an athletic rim protector in his rookie campaign and had one of the best defensive plays of the summer last year in Las Vegas.
What a block by Eli Ndiaye ‼️☝️ pic.twitter.com/4liiD9drDo
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 11, 2025
His speed and above-the-rim finishing will give the summer league team another weapon in transition, along with Flemings and Ejiofor.
The Hawks' power forward room got busier this summer, decreasing Ndiaye's chance to contribute to the main squad. However, if he performs well in his second summer league, Atlanta could scoop him up on another two-way deal to keep his G-League rights.
The Hawks start their Salt Lake City Summer League action on July 4 at 5 PM ET against the Utah Jazz. Flemings and Darryn Peterson will likely match up in what is sure to be an exciting opening contest.
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