At the beginning of the NBA Combine, many opinions changed about Kingston Flemings’ abilities in the NBA. Why is that? Didn’t he have some of the most potential from the entire 2026 class? Well, everyone thought Flemings was a 6’4” guard. Turns out, he is only 6’2.5”, which is a figure teams are scared of, as there’s a risk he may not pan out due to his physical limitations.
Still, the LA Clippers should make the call for Flemings at fifth overall, and take him off the board.
There is not doubt that it’s a challenge to be a star guard in the NBA at not even 6’3”, as there haven’t been a whole lot of names in the history of the game to do so, but the Houston breakout showed so many signs of promise, potential, and reasons for fans to cling on to hope, that picking him up early in the lottery is the smart thing to do.
Kingston Flemings’ other attributes make up for his lack of size
For a relatively undersized guard to be good in the NBA, let alone meet the expectations of a star that fans have written all over him, he must be able to shoot and defend better than almost anyone in his class. These are deal-breakers.
In regard to Flemings’ ability to do both, he meets the requirements with flying colors. In fact, he shot 38.7% for Houston through 37 games and has the ideal combination of speed and defensive IQ that is rare, especially in players his age (19).
The workouts through the NBA Combine also went in his favor: he shot 72.9% from a distance, fourth overall, recorded a max-vertical leap of 40.5 inches, third overall, and had some of the best times in the shuttle run and lane agility drills.
The best shooters at the NBA Draft Combine:
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2026
Alex Karaban (UConn) - 74.8%
Bennett Stirtz (Iowa) - 74.6%
Christian Anderson (Texas Tech) - 73.7%
Kingston Flemings (Houston) - 72.9%
Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA) - 70.4%
*combined % across all shooting drills pic.twitter.com/v7OnkNxtAH
Basically, Flemings is the entire package. Fast, athletic, takes pride in defense, excels in finishing, can shoot the lights out, he has it all.
The only aspect about him that’s not to like is his height, and with everything else he brings to the table, everything balances out.
Fit-wise, Flemings is, by far, the best option. He complements Darius Garland to a T, and can even create plays for others, as he averaged 5.2 assists for the Cougars.
So, you know what the Clippers should do at the fifth spot? Leave the criticism aside, and make the Intuit Dome Flemings’ next home.
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