What experts are saying about the Hawks’ top draft pick, Kingston Flemings

The Hawks selected Kingston Flemings, a 6-foot-3 guard who played at Houston, with the No. 8 pick in the first round of the NBA draft.

They have a roster need at point guard, but paired with veteran guard CJ McCollum, who signed a one-year deal worth $21 million to return for next season, Flemings will have a good opportunity to learn without having to start immediately.

There were some who thought the Hawks could have gone in another direction, including taking big man Aday Mara with the pick.

The feedback from many of the draft analysts has been positive, noting Flemings’ athleticism and the potential for his skills to improve.

Here’s a sampling of those thoughts:

Yahoo Sports: Kevin O’Connor

“Flemings plays with surgical midrange touch, an explosive first step and the passing vision of a true point guard who can run an offense. But Flemings is also 183 pounds and midrange-heavy in a 3-point league, and he watched his efficiency crater against the stiffest competition late in the season. The question is whether his scoring package translates against NBA length and spacing, or whether opposing scouts figure him out the same way late-season defenses did.” Grade: A

ESPN: Jeremy Woo

“Flemings became one of my favorite players in the draft as I watched him at Houston. His explosiveness, clever playmaking and competitive makeup stood out immediately. The Hawks felt the same way, selecting him as a point guard of the future despite already having several backcourt players in place.” Post-draft analysis

The Athletic: Sam Vecenie and John Hollinger

Vecenie: "I want to love Flemings, and I think there is undeniably All-Star upside if his development goes right. The intel on Flemings as a human being is strong, and he seems to have a full understanding of what his role will be at the next level, as well as what he needs to work on. He was productive and efficient offensively in what was not an ideal circumstance for his skill set as a driver and athlete at Houston this season. He was rightfully named an All-American as a freshman while playing for Kelvin Sampson, one of the toughest coaches in the country on young players. If you give him more space to operate like he will receive in the NBA, there’s a chance that he will flourish …

“This is an easy profile of a player to fall in love with. I would bet on Flemings making an All-Star Game at some point and being the kind of point guard teammates love playing with.”