Kingston Flemings able to ‘continuously get higher’ in NBA

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CHICAGO — Some NBA draft picks could have reached a lot of their potential by the point they arrive within the league. The means former University of Houston guard Kingston Flemings sees it, the perfect is but to come back for him, because of his work ethic.

“Every single year, I’ll get better,” Flemings instructed Andscape on May 11 through the NBA pre-draft camp. “They can’t say that one 12 months I performed higher. Maybe one 12 months I’ll shoot higher or one thing like that, however they’ll’t say I’m the identical competitor. If you look again to any 12 months in my profession, the subsequent 12 months I performed I acquired higher, it doesn’t matter what it was. If I’d have stayed in school this subsequent 12 months, I’d have gotten higher.

“So, anywhere I go, who they draft me as is not who I’m gonna be my fifth year. Some people, they draft them at their peak. That’s who they are. But not me. This is the lowest I’m going to be as long as I’m in the NBA. As the year goes on, as the days go on, I’ll just constantly get better, just compete all the time.”

Flemings averaged 16.1 factors, 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals whereas taking pictures 38.7% from 3-point vary as a freshman for Houston final campaign. The 2026 All-Big 12 Conference first-team choice set a Houston freshman scoring file by dropping 42 factors on Texas Tech. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo listed Flemings because the ninth-best prospect in his newest NBA draft prime 100 checklist on June 19. The San Antonio native can be certainly one of 5 youngsters and his sister, Bella, dedicated to action for Duke subsequent campaign.

Andscape is celebrating Father’s Day and the lead-up to the 2026 NBA draft with a Q&A sequence together with among the draft’s prime prospects and their fathers. The first spherical of the draft is Tuesday at 8 p.m., ET, on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The fathers and sons who participated within the Q&A sequence embrace Flemings and his father, Demetric “Dee” Flemings; former Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., and his father, Darius Acuff Sr.; former Tennessee ahead Nate Ament and his father, Albert Ament; former Duke ahead Cameron Boozer and his father, former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer; former Louisville star guard Mikel Brown Jr., and his father Christopher Brown Sr.; and former BYU ahead AJ Dybantsa and his father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa Sr.

The following is a Q&A with Kingston and Dee Flemings:

Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings set a Houston freshman scoring file with 42 factors in opposition to Texas Tech on Jan. 24.Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

As you speak to all these NBA groups, what do you inform them once they ask you, ‘Who are they getting as a competitor, and who’re they getting as an individual?‘

Kingston Flemings: If you ask anybody I’ve performed with, or on any staff, any stage, nobody can say I used to be a nasty teammate, going all the best way again to once I began in first grade or kindergarten. Any folks I action with, I continuously get everybody I action with higher. I can match into any staff with something they want for me — facilitator, scorer, defender. I can do something for that staff. So, for those who put me on any staff with any gamers, I can get together with them and make them higher as a staff.

What offers you probably the most pleasure in regards to the NBA draft, and what offers you somewhat nervousness about it?

I assume nervousness — I simply wish to get on the court docket, actually. The interviews and testing, all that’s good. But on the finish of the day, you simply acquired to action basketball. So, I like getting on the court docket and the thrill. All of it’s thrilling. I dreamed of this as a child, simply watching it once I was youthful. And simply being right here is certainly surreal. So, I’m simply prepared to listen to my identify known as and stroll throughout the stage.

Father’s Day is 2 days earlier than the 2026 NBA draft. What do you consider the timing of that, and what does your father imply to you?

It’s nice. He means all the pieces to me. I take into consideration how laborious him and my mother labored. Just [her] being a nurse, [him] being a firefighter. And then placing all that point into us. I do know he picked up a shift working with Delta [Air Lines] so he might get us free flights so we might fly locations.

He labored out with me and my sister on the YMCA at 5 a.m. earlier than he needed to go to work. Everything he sacrificed to get me and my sister and my siblings to the place we’re proper now, folks don’t see it. But we undoubtedly see it behind the scenes. And with out him, we undoubtedly wouldn’t be right here proper now.

Your father flew to Chicago simply to be part of this father-son interview with you. Can you give me some extra element about all the pieces he does?

I do know it’s not straightforward. He grew up a single baby, so he form of needed to train himself quite a bit. There is a lot that he’s taught us. He wasn’t probably the most superb basketball competitor. He needed to be taught quite a bit, and he discovered plenty of issues in several methods simply choosing folks’s minds any means he might simply to cater to our desires.

It was by no means his dream for me to go to the NBA, or my sister to action basketball. But we instructed him what we wished to do, and he [guided us] to the perfect of his skill. And that’s simply the person he’s, undoubtedly. Whatever he places his thoughts to, he ended up doing it. And he’s gotten me and all my siblings to a fairly excessive house to this point.

He additionally offers you a push to commit and provides your all. Can you expound on that?

I can’t be one foot in, one foot out. No matter what it’s — basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, no matter it could have been — we’re going to be fully headstrong into that. So, as soon as I stated it was basketball, particularly for me, we labored at it each single day. At 5 a.m., late nights, all the pieces like that. So, the identical with my sisters.

Once we stated what our dream was, he continuously reminded us that it wasn’t his dream, it’s our dream. So, he shouldn’t be working tougher for our dream than we’re. He would all the time say that quite a bit.

Did you ever battle his push?

Definitely. When it’s coming out of your dad, generally you simply don’t wish to hear it, since you’re listening to all of it day, each day. But as I acquired older, you actually know what he’s saying is true. Even generally you don’t if you don’t wish to hear it. So, he ready me for lots of issues.

Going to Houston, taking part in for Coach Samp [Kelvin Sampson], taking part in highschool and simply life. Life just isn’t straightforward in any respect. But the best way he raised me, and the way laborious he pushed me from that, simply ready me for all times.

Your dad and mom didn’t let you already know what identify, picture and likeness cash they agreed to for you with Houston till you signed your contract. What did you consider that strategy?

I’ve by no means been an enormous equipment man or cash man or something like that. I didn’t actually care which colleges have been paying me roughly. They undoubtedly didn’t actually inform me about it. So, at that time you’re choosing the varsity off who you want probably the most — teaching workers, all the pieces like that. And cash’s not concerned in it. Some colleges might provide probably the most cash, however their teaching workers and all the pieces like that’s horrible.

So, undoubtedly when it got here right down to my ultimate colleges, Texas Tech and Houston, both college I’d have picked would have been nice. But I’m glad I went to Houston. Coach Samp, taking part in with them, all my teammates, they taught me quite a bit simply being there for the one 12 months I used to be.

As a firefighter, what does it say about your father as an individual that he’s placing his life on the road for folks he doesn’t know?

I’ll strive not to consider [the risk] an excessive amount of. I hope he’s protected at any time when he’s at work. But simply figuring out him, my mother, they’re in two professions the place you’re serving to folks all day. So, there’s not plenty of professions like that. So, sacrificing himself for different folks is simply the best way he form of lives life. If you meet him, he received’t say that he’s like a sentimental man or something like that. But you undoubtedly can see it.

He cares about what folks say, and he cares about serving to different folks, despite the fact that he was a single baby. He likes folks liking him, actually. So, him being a firefighter, simply how a lot he sacrifices for different folks.

Whatever staff you go to, what teachings of his are you gonna deliver with you there?

There’s undoubtedly quite a bit. When you’re at a brand new place with new folks, some individuals are there that can assist you. But it’s form of for you. Keep your circle tight. And you set to work by yourself. Take it one step at a time. So, if you go to a brand new place like that, some individuals are there that can assist you, however you actually acquired to give attention to your self, since you’re the explanation you’re going to turn out to be any individual.

So, actually specializing in your self, working each single day by your self, not having another person make you go to the gymnasium or make you’re employed out or raise. Wanting to do it by your self, and simply desirous to turn out to be the perfect you may, simply each single day, that’s me. So, something I’m taking part in, if it’s any sport or something, I simply hate to come up short. So, I’m continuously getting higher, so I by no means have that feeling of shedding or feeling that somebody’s higher than me, particularly once I’m on the court docket.

Part of Kingston Flemings’ success is his aggressive streak, which helps him with confidence on and off the court docket.Melissa Tamez/NBAE by way of Getty Images

There is a notion that the highest 4 gamers within the 2026 NBA draft are Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson. When you don’t hear your identify in that blend, how do you are feeling?

People on the surface can say plenty of issues. But when you get on the court docket, it’s one factor. You’re hooping on the market. So, what folks consider you, who likes you, who doesn’t, all you actually need is one individual, one staff to consider in you. All I actually wanted in school was one staff to consider in me: Houston. … If all the opposite groups throughout didn’t consider in me, it didn’t matter, as a result of Houston did. So, any staff that believes in me within the NBA — whether or not it’s the primary decide, whether or not it’s the final decide within the draft — it doesn’t matter. As lengthy as I get there and I get an opportunity, I get alternative, I’m going to point out who I’m.

It doesn’t matter on the primary decide, second decide, third, so on. I’m simply pleased with all the children and all of the gamers which have gotten right here. It’s not straightforward in any respect. I do know I’ve labored for it. But clearly I do know the competitor I’m, and I understand how I see myself. I don’t overly care what different folks assume, as a result of they’re not me, they usually’re not taking part in on the court docket like I’m. They don’t get a 94-foot slab like I do, guard folks like I do, action like I do, compete like I do. They don’t know that. They simply see outdoors. They see the measurables. But finish of the day, you simply acquired to get on that court docket. It’s simply us and different groups.

Would you agree that you simply’re a silent murderer if you action?

In highschool or center college, I talked somewhat extra. But school, I didn’t actually speak in any respect. Some folks attempt to speak, however as soon as they understand that you simply’re not speaking again, you’re not participating them, it makes them really feel dumb. … So, for those who’re actually specializing in your self, focusing in your staff, and never what different folks say, that’s simply strong banter. They’re making an attempt to get below your pores and skin, but when that works on you, it really works on you.

When I watch you action, it seems like you may rating in your sleep. When you’re scorching, what does that really feel like?

Yeah, undoubtedly. Any spot I get to, I really feel assured within the shot. Quite a lot of occasions, particularly if you get it going, you simply really feel assured all throughout the court docket, particularly if you get within the stream. So, attending to these spots, getting within the midrange, after which utilizing my physique — when you begin scoring quite a bit, the protection begins second-guessing. And then they don’t belief that they’ll guard you. Once doubt creeps in, that’s the way you kill folks. So undoubtedly, because the showdown goes on, I begin feeling it. My confidence grows, and that’s how I had these massive video games.

What is your village of supporters like?

For me, since I began taking part in basketball, I stayed with the identical folks. The similar people who I grew up with taking part in in opposition to, I action with them each single day. The similar people who I grew up with coaching with, I practice with them each single day. I’m simply blessed to be round a specific amount of individuals which can be reliable and have this mindset that may actually assist me. So, there’s no motive for me to go away for the surface, as a result of I do know these folks have been with me from the start.

Lots of people are available in like on the finish, they usually see who you’re. But they didn’t see who you have been. They didn’t see all of the work you performed in earlier than that. And that’s who the folks have been in my village, that’s who they noticed. [It’s about] simply staying with these [people], persevering with to work. And they know the competitor I’m and the mindset I’ve.

How a lot satisfaction do you could have in your final identify?

Definitely quite a bit. I see on-line generally “Flemmings,” they usually put two “m’s,” and that form of irks me somewhat bit. Your identify is all you bought, sooner or later. So, any staff, or any individual I’m going to, I simply need them to actually like me as an individual and like my identify, as a result of that’s all you bought. If you go to a staff and nobody on that staff likes you, even for those who did good, as soon as you allow, they acquired some folks asking you about them, they’re going to inform them the reality, and that’s your identify on the finish of the day.

So, anyplace I depart, I don’t wish to give a motive for somebody to speak down on me or something like that. So, I undoubtedly carry that heavy once I’m taking part in anyplace I’m going. I’m simply making an attempt to be a sound child, a pleasant child. And then on the court docket simply do no matter I can to kill and get the triumph.

What does the town of San Antonio, your hometown, imply to you?

People simply, once they hear San Antonio, they’ve a nasty connotation with it somewhat bit, you already know. In Texas, it’s Houston, Dallas. So, it’s somewhat like San Antonio doesn’t have an excessive amount of respect. But I feel simply how a lot work we put in, like particularly on our staff. I understand how a lot work we put in — my household, all my pals. So, I feel simply making an attempt to deliver rep to the 210 [area code] any means I can. And simply help them, and simply present folks in San Antonio are certainly one of one, too.

Demetric “Dee” Flemings on his son Kingston: “He’s hardworking, he’s loyal, he’s a family-oriented person. The day you draft him, you become family.”Carmen Mandato for ESPN

What is your first recollection of placing a basketball in your son’s fingers?

Demetric “Dee” Flemings: Kingston is about six years youthful than his older brother, and his entire life, he’s simply been following him round. In a way, that motivates him. But it’s, if you already know Kingston, he’s motivated by Shaydon, as a result of he all the time wished to be higher than him. So, when Shaydon was, I’ll say, 8 [years old], in order that put Kingston at about 2, he’s at Shaydon’s practices, he’s making an attempt to action, he’s at pig skin observe, he’s at basketball observe, and he’s simply choosing up the ball. He’s on the market making an attempt to problem the teammates and get in there.

How did you identify him Kingston?

I wished to name him King, however I felt prefer it’d be somewhat too egotistical. And I knew his nickname could be “King,” so we simply went with Kingston.

At what level did you say, “Kingston could be special in this game of basketball”?

I knew one thing was totally different about him when he was 4, taking part in on his older brother’s staff. So, he was 4 taking part in on the 10-year-old staff. He couldn’t get the ball to the rim. So, it was actually simply protection and passing. And in the end, that’s actually who he’s. And he simply all the time wished to seek out everyone and go.

And in the future, across the similar age, we’re on the park and simply on the court docket working, and he does a Eurostep. I stated, “Where’d that come from?” He stated, “I saw it when Shaydon was playing the video game.” So, that instructed me there’s one thing totally different about his thoughts that he noticed his brother taking part in a video showdown, noticed a Eurostep, after which he simply got here out to the court docket and did it on his personal. It was like, “OK, he’s got a little something different to him.”

As a Black man, what sort of classes, and simply as a person normally, was it necessary so that you can train them simply in life?

Leave each room higher than you discovered it. Take care of household. And the household is prolonged. I grew up an solely baby, so my household was my staff, it was my neighbors, it was my group. I attempt to instill that in them. I’m a firefighter. My spouse is a nurse. So, group is de facto necessary to us. So, be pillars of their group, and simply deal with folks.

It’s nice that Kingston is a possible top-10, top-five decide. But when folks cease me and say, “I met your son and he’s one of the humblest kids I know.” Or, somebody instructed my spouse on the [NCAA] tourney that Kingston is the one person who all the time made positive that the ladies reporters or the youthful reporters acquired their questions in as a result of they’re getting bullied, and the older reporters received’t allow them to get their questions in. And he’ll all the time make certain they do. I raised human.

What do you assume is the notion and actuality of Black fatherhood?

There’s the age-old stereotype that we’re not current. I’m all the time going to be right here. Being a firefighter affords me that. I’ve a busy schedule, nevertheless it offers me plenty of days off. I attempt to be at all the pieces that I can. We began a [AAU basketball] staff. Kingston grew up in a neighborhood staff. We have a 12-passenger van, and it was actually so we might take everyone round.

I’ve 5 youngsters, and it’s quite a bit. But we’ve pushed that van to [Las] Vegas twice. To Atlanta thrice. But it’s simply [transporting] the group. I’m a gift Black father, and I would like them to see that.

What got here to thoughts if you discovered that Father’s Day was two days earlier than the draft?

I’d love for the draft to be on Father’s Day. That could be an amazing fruits to all the pieces we’ve carried out. We’ve been doing this since [age] 3 or 4. Kingston was in kindergarten taking pictures 500 photographs a day. And we’ve been to the gymnasium along with his sister and the older brother, and now I’m getting the youthful two ladies there. But it’s simply to see all his laborious work, and he lastly reached his purpose. This was all the time his purpose. And for my youngsters, my job is to assist them accomplish their purpose.

It’s by no means about what I would like. I make them write their objectives down, after which I’m going to carry them to it. Short-term. Long-term. And we’re going preserve going. And we’ll reevaluate these objectives. But that is one purpose that by no means modified for him from when he was somewhat boy: “I want to be in the NBA” … he by no means modified, and so to see him like obtain that and know that I used to be in a position to really assist him obtain that, I did my job.

How do you envision NBA draft day?

You made it to this purpose. So, plenty of laughs, plenty of love, plenty of hugs. We’ll take pleasure in it as a household, as a result of everyone sacrificed for this. His brother is his supervisor, and he drives me loopy. And mother is there all the time to steadiness me out. And sister [Bella] is all the time there. Those two, they’re watching one another’s video games, they’re evaluating, they’re giving pointers to one another. Everybody went into this. So, it’ll be nice. And then the subsequent day, we’ll sit down and we’ll write down some new objectives.

Your final identify goes to be operating up and down the court docket within the NBA. What will or not it’s wish to see your final identify in your son’s again within the showdown? How a lot satisfaction do you could have in it?

Immense satisfaction. I’m a goal-oriented man. And this was your purpose, and I felt like I did my job as a dad. You achieved your dream. And my daughter, she desires to be on ESPN sometime and possibly in the future she’s interviewing him on the sidelines. They’re taking my identify into rooms and arenas which can be so past me or something I might have ever carried out. So, simply proud. I really feel completed that I did my job, no matter it was.

If an NBA staff have been to ask you why ought to we draft your son, what would you inform them?

He’s hardworking, he’s loyal, he’s a family-oriented individual. The day you draft him, you turn out to be household. And he’s his father’s son. He’s going to do something for household. I lay down my life for folks I don’t know. And Kingston extends himself for something, for the staff. And he’s going to do regardless of the staff wants him to do to triumph. That’s household. And that’s who he’s.

If Kelvin Sampson requested him to drive the ball, he doesn’t shoot plenty of threes. If Kelvin says, “D, I need you to guard this guy. I need you to rebound more.” Whatever you want him to do to triumph, he desires to triumph, he desires to be wherever he’s drafted for the rest of his profession. And he desires to go away that room higher than he discovered it.

In phrases of the NIL, the brand new, still-evolving school basketball panorama, to social media, as a father, how did you navigate that?

Social media was a tougher navigation. Just making an attempt to show them to not be like their pals, you bought to be totally different. And preserve reinforcing it, reinforcing it, reinforcing it to hopefully they see the larger image. As far as NIL, actually, not that massive a deal. Neither he nor his sister knew how a lot cash they have been going to get. So, we purposely didn’t enable him into any of these conferences.

He made his choice primarily based on what he felt was the perfect for him. He finally needed to signal his contract. I hoped that Sampson and [the coaching staff] couldn’t present it to him. But clearly, he needed to signal it. He signed the contract possibly every week earlier than he went to highschool. But we don’t let cash issue into their decisionmaking abilities.

What does Father’s Day imply to you?

It’s a day the place I’m presupposed to be celebrated, and that’s probably not my model. I’m actually lowkey, behind-the-scenes. Honestly, all I ever wish to do in that day is simply get everyone collectively and we sit and eat. But it swells my chest up with satisfaction that I created this household.

I used to be the one baby. Single mom. My mother was within the army however grew up in [New] Jersey for probably the most half, simply form of was residence on my own quite a bit. And so, my pals and neighborhood was the household that I hung with. My finest pal, Kingston’s godfather, grew up throughout the road from me. But to see that I created these superb people, that’s my proudest accomplishment.

What particular classes did you instill in him?

First, be human to everyone you meet. You have to stroll in and that you must not simply shake the GM’s hand and the governor’s hand, however that you must know these attendants. You have to know the individuals who clear up. You have to know the one who washes your uniform, and that you must deal with them with the identical stage of respect. As far as accomplishments within the NBA, there may be nothing you may’t do so long as you’re prepared to sacrifice for it.

So, no matter what anyone might say, “This person’s better. You can’t do this or that.” How laborious are you prepared to work for it? Whatever spot you need, no matter minutes you need, no matter function you need, you simply acquired to set your thoughts, write your objectives, reverse engineer from there, and that’s your blueprint — your map, moderately — to get to that vacation spot.

Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA author for Andscape. He used to have the ability to dunk on you, however he hasn’t been in a position to in years and his knees nonetheless damage.