Hawks have found perfect partner for franchise centerpiece

After months of hysteria surrounding Atlanta’s eighth-overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Hawks fans can finally sleep soundly knowing that they’ve found Jalen Johnson’s point guard for the future in Kingston Flemings. 

The biggest question regarding Kingston’s fit in Atlanta is how his playstyle will mesh with Jalen Johnson, compared to how Trae Young’s did.

The key difference between Flemings and Young

Luckily for Flemings, Trae Young has already laid the blueprint for how to maximize Johnson’s abilities. During the 2024-25 season, Young and Johnson performed well together, particularly in the pick-and-roll. 

It was a devastating move against opposing defenses, given Johnson’s ability to finish at the rim and shoot the three-ball. Young was either throwing it up for a lob or pulling the trigger himself.

There’s no question that Flemings can do the same in the pick-and-roll with Johnson, especially after playing with another shooting big man in Chris Cenac Jr.

Although Flemings isn’t the passer Trae was, he is certainly a better defender. 

Houston Cougars Head Coach Kelvin Sampson instilled good defensive habits into him. The 19-year-old does a good job of getting into the passing lanes, showcasing his instincts with 1.5 steals per game. He’s also very strong for a 183-pound guard, most notably when using his 6’3 frame to fight through screens. 

It’s a good sign for the front office since Kingston is meant to be Trae Young’s successor. The 4x All-Star couldn’t fix his defensive issues no matter how much weight he added during his seven-year tenure with the Hawks, and Flemings has better physical foundation that he can build over time.

All signs point to a successful rookie season for the Texas native, but with CJ McCollum signing an extension, Flemings will have to put on a show from the bench.

Finding the right fit for Flemings next to Johnson

Some fans will want to see Jalen Johnson team up with their new rookie right away, but we’ll only see it in sample sizes from the beginning. Nonetheless, the film indicates that Flemings will fit just fine.

The most important thing about this draft was finding a second scoring option next to Johnson, and Flemings excels at creating his own shot. He’s also consistent in spot up scenarios when playing off the ball.

Both tools will be valuable to Johnson as he looks to set up Flemings with scoring opportunities, and he proved to be reliable in his 37 games for the Cougars. He averaged 16.1 points and 5.2 assists, leading the team in both categories.

Most importantly, he shot 38.7% from three, and it’s crucial because the Hawks’ new scoring threat will create more space for their All-Star to operate. Of course, it won’t happen over night, but by the time Johnson is in his late 20s, Flemings will certainly come into his own. People should be excited for what’s to come. 

His ball handling and athleticism will elevate the Hawks as they continue to play fast under Quin Snyder. In four years, we could see him become a reliable co-star, averaging around 20 points and 7+ assists per game - maybe even earlier than that. 

Atlanta has a proven developmental staff, so it’s safe to say we’ll see the pair winning together in the future, the only uncertainty is: how far can Johnson and Flemings take the Hawks? 

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