It is rare to see a player’s NBA draft profile skyrocket as quickly as Kingston Flemings has this season. He really was not on my radar as an NBA Draft pick, let alone a potential high-lottery pick heading into the season, but his early-season production has forced him into the conversation as one of this classes top prospects. If he continues to improve and play this well, he could be in consideration for the Wizards if they fall out of the top three.
Especially if the Wizards identify point guard
as the position they would like to target in the 2026 NBA Draft, Fleming is a very intriguing option.
Here is everything Wizards fans need to know about Flemings, and whether or not you should buy into the hype about his hot start with Houston.
Kingston Flemings, 6’4” freshman guard from Houston
Heading into the season, Houston, who was a shot away from winning last year’s NCAA Tournament, was expected to be one of the best teams in college basketball. The hype was deserves, with the Cougars’ only loss so far coming against a ranked Tennessee team. They are looking like legitimate contenders. Upperclassmen Jojo Tugler, Milos Uzan and Emmanuel Sharp have been great, but freshman guard Kingston Flemings has come out of nowhere to be Houston’s most important player. He was the least-heralded of Houston’s three five-star freshmen, and is not only outperforming fellow first-years Chris Cenac and Isiah Harwell, but is shooting up draft boards at a truly unprecedented rate.
Flemings, a true do-it-all playmaker, has the look and frame of an elite NBA point guard at 6’4”. Through nine games, Flemings is averaging 15.9 points, 5.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 turnovers while shooting 56.0% from three. Flemings recently had his best game of the season in Houston’s 82-67 victory over Florida State where he dominated on both ends of the floor, scoring 21 points, dishing out five assists and collecting a career-high eight steals while shooting 8-13 from the field and 3-4 from three.
At first glance, there really do not seem to be any glaring weaknesses to Flemings’ game. He is an NBA-caliber athlete, has a great jump shot, is an advanced playmaker well-beyond his age, is a high-effort defender with a plus defensive IQ that allows him to get in passing lanes and is the floor general for a Final Four contender. But, this is a small sample size. While he was a five-star recruit, no one predicted that Flemings would be playing this well and that he would be such an important player for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston team.
Sampson spoke glowingly of Flemings’ work ethic and character after his standout performance against Florida State (via Paper City Magazine’s Chris Baldwin).
“Kingston is getting better because of the way he practices. He is a great, great, great, great young man, so his character allows him to be coached.”
Based on Sampson’s comments and the way Flemings has exceeded expectations, it is a reasonable expectation to believe that he will continue to improve at the next level and unlock even more aspects to his game.
Despite all of Flemings’ early-season dominance, I do have some very real concerns about the small sample size of his success. While he did earn a starting spot and was a five-star recruit, I could not find a single preseason mock draft that included him in the first round (if it’s out there please let me know). The stats are great. He passes the eye test. His team is winning. But I want to see Flemings sustain this once Big 12 play starts and there is a bit more tape on him before feeling confident about using a potential top-five pick on him.
As the Wizards’ season has gone on, I think it is clear that their biggest need is at point guard. Bub Carrington is not progressing the way many thought he would after his impressive rookie season last year. If it makes sense based on where they are picking in the draft, the WIzards should absolutely prioritize a point guard. Those options would likely be Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who would be the obvious choice if he is available, Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. or Flemings.
Flemings’ athleticism, shiftiness and playmaking has led to some comparisons to De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Knight. I do not think he has the same raw speed as Fox, but their play styles are very similar. In regards to Knight, Flemings should have a much higher ceiling, especially on the defensive end. Another player with a similar type of game to Flemings is George Hill. Hill was known throughout his career as a very steady, all-around point guard. Flemings has a similar amount of versatility and well-roundedness, but with more athleticism and scoring firepower.
The hype right now for Flemings is deserved. If he continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, he would be a very intriguing option if the Wizards end up with the No. 4 or No. 5 pick in the draft.
