Kingston Flemings is a few weeks away from hearing his name called in the lottery of the 2026 NBA Draft. But before he does, the Houston guard went home to San Antonio. Not for a workout. Not for a press conference. He went back to spend time with his family and honor a legacy that has almost nothing to do with basketball.
Flemings comes from a family deep in military service. His dad served in the Army. His mom is a nurse manager at the VA. Three of his four grandparents served in the Army, the fourth in the Air Force. His great-grandparents served in World War II. So when USAA partnered with him for a look back at that history, it wasn’t some PR stunt. It was personal.
“It means a lot,” Flemings told ClutchPoints. “What they instilled in me, just everything. I have a deep respect for all service members. My family’s been with them a long time. Discipline was a big thing and I carry it in my whole life. Basketball and obviously at home. Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, ma’am. No, ma’am. I carry all of that.”
That discipline shows up on the court. Flemings is a low-turnover guard who handles the ball a ton without giving it away. He credits his high school coach Coty for drilling a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio into his head, and former teammate Milo Suzanne for teaching him to make only “100 percent passes.”
“When I first got there, I was trying to make too many passes that I felt like I could make, but sometimes it was harder to catch,” Flemings said. “He was like just make easy passes. I consistently got better and didn’t turn the ball over as much.”
Weirdest Draft Question So Far
Flemings has done five or six workouts and talked to a lot of teams. Most meetings are standard — film, interviews, personality assessments. But one question stood out.
“Someone asked me if I could punch anyone in the face. Who would it be?” Flemings said. “That was a wild question for sure. I could not find an answer. I don’t have animosity for someone that bad.”
He’s more focused on the actual basketball stuff. When asked what skill he wants to master in four or five years, he didn’t hesitate.
“Ball screen reads on offense. I want to be able to make reads like Chris Paul or Tyrese Haliburton. Both of those guys have great assist-to-turnover ratios. I want that to be something I mastered.”
Flemings actually met Paul at a CP3 camp. He hasn’t met Haliburton but has texted with him.
His Game, His Way
Flemings calls his speed and ability to see the floor his best assets. He likes getting downhill, getting two feet in the paint, and making decisions from there. He can score or pass depending on what the defense gives him. He’s adaptable, and he wants fans to know that.
“I played one way at Houston but I could play a completely different way,” Flemings said. “Any team I go to, they’re going to see the player I am. I’m going to fit whatever that team needs.”
He’s also coachable. Really coachable. That matters in a draft where teams are looking for guys who can absorb a system and not push back.
“You don’t choose Houston and not like to be coached for sure,” Flemings said. “My high school coach was hard on me. My dad was hard on me. That’s the way I learned best.”
His dad, a firefighter, used to work 24-hour shifts and then get in the gym with him at 5 a.m. His mom, a nurse, filled the house with positive affirmations.
“She was always saying envision yourself doing good,” Flemings said. “I really believe in that now.”
Off the Court
When he’s not working out or visiting family in San Antonio, Flemings is on a PS5 or PC. He plays 2K, recently picked up a game called VV: Ultimatum, and plays Madden when his friends let him. He also likes pickleball and escape rooms. Favorite meal? Pizza. He knows he might have to give that up in the NBA.
“I don’t know, who knows,” he said with a laugh.
His first NBA memory is Derrick Rose highlights. His favorite memory is OG Anunoby hitting a game-tying three against LeBron James, then LeBron hitting a running floater. He’s an East Coast guy and an early bird. Favorite non-basketball sport is football.
And if you’re wondering, he still hasn’t figured out who he’d punch in the face. He’s just fine with that.
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