All of the Atlanta Hawks are sharpening their skills ahead of the highly anticipated 2026-27 NBA season. Dyson Daniels has worked all summer to improve his three-point shot, and Jalen Johnson was practicing with world-class basketball trainer Chris Johnson.
Not only did JJ visit Johnson, but so did rookie point guard Kingston Flemings. For those who watched him last year, he showcased a great work ethic under Houston Cougars Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. So, pundits should be excited for Flemings’ professional debut after his intense training session with Johnson.
Perfecting the free throw stroke
Johnson began their session by putting Flemings through an array of free throw drills to perfect his form. He shot 84.5% from the line during his tenure with the Cougars, but Johnson was able to work out some kinks in Kingston’s form.
It involved an emphasis on timing before letting the ball leave his hands. Shot after shot, Flemings would bend his knees and explode upward, resulting in a crisp release, nothing but net.
This is essential for his first season in Atlanta. Most rookies struggle from the field, so a lot of his points will come from the free-throw line after penetrating the defense.
He has a naturally aggressive playstyle, making Johnson’s teaching invaluable. After perfecting his form, Chris wanted to address any weaknesses in the pick-and-roll.
Flemings must master this crucial aspect
Johnson put Flemings in an array of different situations that tested his decision-making. He started with Kingston’s pace when dribbling to his spots for a mid-range jumper.
It’s natural for rookie point guards to hesitate when leading an NBA offense for the first time, so this exercise was priceless for the 19-year-old. Johnson pressured Kingston in both directions of the pick-and-roll to increase his confidence on both sides of the elbow.
Flemings shot 50.3% from the field on two-pointers while leading the Cougars with 16.2 points per game. He was praised throughout the 2025-26 NCAA season for his mid-range shot selection, and now he’s honing his deadliest weapon on both sides.
The drill was somewhat rigorous given Johnson’s expectations of his students. He noticed the hesitation in Kingston’s approach while dribbling to his spot, and Johnson helped Flemings develop a smoother transition from driving to the jump shot.
By the end of the drill, he had better footwork when penetrating on either side and generating a proper mid-range pull-up. Similar to his free throw, Johnson told Flemings to ‘get under’ the ball to generate more power and a higher-percentage shot.
After passing the last two drills, Flemings spent the rest of his time perfecting his threes in a litany of scenarios.
His pull-up jumper will prove to be very important
Seeing how Head Coach Quin Snyder likes to run his offense, this drill was arguably the most important. Flemings started off with a pull-up three-pointer off the dribble.
It didn’t take long for Kingston to catch fire with Johnson’s teachings, given his offensive potential. He shot 38.7% from three while in college, and he shined during the shooting drills in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine.
As soon as he mastered his form on the pull-up, he started knocking down one three after another. He expanded his repertoire by shooting on both sides of the three, and then Johnson added the pick-and-roll for another valuable lesson.
He explained to Kingston that there’s no difference in the direction he’ll go for the pull-up three after the pick, as long as he’s in ‘attack mode’. This was important because Johnson was aware of Flemings’ tendency to go right, so he wanted to make him comfortable on both sides to remain unpredictable against defenders.
The goal was to push Kingston out of his comfort zone, and Johnson got exactly what he wanted. It was a smart way to end the workout since the shot diet will be the biggest adjustment for Flemings this season.
Johnson’s teachings are pivotal for Atlanta’s future
They ended the workout by sending Flemings through some dunk drills, and it’s safe to say this is the first of many sessions with Chris Johnson.
Jalen Johnson is a regular at his gym, and if Kingston was there before his rookie year, he’ll likely return for what will be a pivotal sophomore season.
Hawks point guard CJ McCollum is on a one-year, $20 million deal, and if President of Basketball Operatioms Onsi Saleh lets the 35-year-old walk, Flemings will become the starting point guard for the future.
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