Earning his first career start, Kingston Flemings reached double figures in scoring, helping the Atlanta Hawks to a road victory over the Washington Wizards.
Flemings finished with 14 points, four assists and three rebounds in the 120-105 win at Capital One Arena. He shot 6-for-9 from the field, including two 3-pointers, and committed only one turnover in 23 minutes, 24 seconds at point guard.
The eighth overall pick showcased his offensive arsenal on the court, from using his lightning-quick first step to create paint touches to finishing over defenders at the rim. The performance earned praise from coach Quin Snyder afterward.
"I think, sometimes, the moment feels heavy or bigger," Snyder said about Flemings starting. "I think, in spite of his
age, he was poised and kind of let the game come to him, and that was good to see."
Kingston with a crafty hesi in traffic 😏 pic.twitter.com/FUD6wdwz7o
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 5, 2026
Flemings was elevated into the starting lineup with Jalen Johnson sidelined because of a left ankle sprain. But veteran CJ McCollum, with 15 points, convinced Snyder that Flemings should take his place as the starting point guard, a move Snyder applauded.
The 19-year-old returned after a one-game suspension for intentionally elbowing New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens on Saturday. He offered a glimpse of what he can provide, which may force Snyder to consider keeping him in the starting lineup permanently.
In any case, Flemings and the Hawks returned to above .500 with the win after recently dropping three straight games. He was pleased that he could help the group pull out the win.
“It felt great being on the court,” Flemings told Madison Hock of Atlanta News First. “I love playing ball. So, anytime I can be on the court and affect the game, I'm going to do that.”
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hawks' Quin Snyder calls Kingston Flemings poised after 1st NBA start
