Why Kelvin Sampson Wants More Out of Houston Cougars' Top Freshman
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No. 7 Houston Cougars basketball has their best freshman class in program history this season, and there was a lot expected out of the group that included the best center in the recruiting class in Chris Cenac Jr. and one of the best shooting guards in five-star Isiah Harwell.
Point guard Kingston Flemings is also a huge part of that star trio, but not many outside of the Houston basketball program expected that he would have this incredible an impact this quickly.
Flemings was also a five-star recruit according to 247Composite, but with senior point guard Milos Uzan manning down his position, it was expected that Flemings would come off the bench. It has been anything but. Flemings has turned into an offensive engine for Houston.
High Expectations for the Young Star
Flemings only played for Brennan High School in San Antonio and was also a part of the AAU team in San Antonio with the same coach. He didn’t ask for more attention. That was one of the reasons why Flemings wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American or even a higher recruit.
“Kingston’s talent was there. Most people didn’t see it, but we did,” head coach Kelvin Sampson said.
The talent is on full display now. Sampson decided early on that it would be better for Uzan and Flemings to play together in the starting lineup. Not many expected that to be the case, but it certainly gave Flemings the opportunity to be special early on, and he hasn’t wasted the chance.
The 6-foot-4 guard is now a fast riser on NBA draft boards for the 2026 first round after a standout nine games where he has shown tremendous potential. Flemings put up 22 points and 8/13 shooting along with seven assists and five rebounds against No. 22 Auburn in a road environment before putting up 25 points on 10/15 shooting against No. 17 Tennessee in the Player’s Era tournament.
Those two performances have projected him onto the national stage as a Big 12 freshman of the year candidate. Most recently, Flemings scored 21 points on 62% shooting along with a historic eight steals, the most in program history since Clyde Drexler’s 11.
“He couldn’t do that a month ago; that’s why this team is a work in progress. He’s getting better because of the way he practices…he’s a great young man, so his character allows him to be coached,” Sampson said.
Flemings is averaging 15.9 points per game along with five assists, two steals, and 3.6 RPG while shooting 61% overall.
“This is the way Kingston played on his high school team and AAU team. We’ve empowered him to play the same way here,” Sampson said.
Improvement Needed
While his highlight reels are picking up steam and he continues to show poise and talent well beyond his years, Sampson is not jumping to praise Flemings.
“I’m not ready to anoint him with anything; most of his turnovers had a chance to blow this thing open,” Sampson said. “He still turns the ball over too much.”
The mindset for Sampson is to treat everyone the same and continue to get better. Clearly, Fleming still has work to do. Houston’s point guards historically don’t turn the ball over. Jamal Shead was elite, and so is Uzan. The sky is the limit for Flemings once he fixes this issue.
The Texas Gatorade Player of the Year mentioned how he continues to grow in defense and play as a team. His defense has definitely improved a lot, as it should with the Cougars. Flemings is elite at stealing the ball with his quick hands, and his defense has played a role in their wins.
Sampson knows the team he has is special, but it will take time to reach their ceiling.
“This team has a lot of room for improvement. We’re nowhere as close to as good as I think we can be. Our bench has got to get better. We gotta rebound the ball better,” Sampson said.
In particular, the Cougars’ head coach mentioned how the rebounding of the guards has to get much better.
The key to being successful at Houston is playing hard.
“He’s learned how to play hard…Kingston’s been practicing really well, and that’s carried over to games,” Sampson said.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.