The Atlanta Hawks will introduce their three draft picks Thursday afternoon at the team's practice facility, continuing a tradition that connects new players to the Atlanta community.
Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesar — the Hawks' selections from this week's NBA Draft — are scheduled to meet with local media on June 25.
The Hawks selected Flemings with the eighth overall pick. The 6-foot-4 guard from the University of Houston spent one season with the Cougars and earned Freshman All-American honors. The Newport News, Virginia native said during a Zoom call shortly after being drafted that he was eager to join the organization.
"Knowing I'm going to a good organization is exciting to me," Flemings said.
Flemings models his game after Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, emphasizing quickness and playmaking ability. That skill set could address a need in Atlanta's backcourt.
With the 23rd overall pick, the Hawks selected Ejiofor, a forward from St. John's University who spent three seasons in the Big East. The Garland, Texas native showed steady improvement at St. John's, with his scoring and rebounding numbers increasing each year.
The Hawks traded up to acquire Henri Veesar, a 22-year-old center from the University of North Carolina, with the 57th overall pick in the second round. The 7-footer from Estonia averaged 17 points and nearly 9 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels last season.
The introductions come after what the Hawks organization describes as a remarkable turnaround season. The team made the playoffs and reconnected with fans after years of uncertainty.
Recent Hawks draft history has been uneven. Jalen Johnson, selected 20th overall in 2021, developed into a reliable starter. Onyeka Okongwu, taken sixth in 2020, became a cornerstone piece. But first overall pick Zaccahrie Risacher averaged just 9.6 points and 3.8 rebounds last season and found himself largely out of the rotation during Atlanta's playoff series against the New York Knicks.
