“It feels great,” Flemings, 19, said after he was drafted. “I’m just ready to work – ready to work for Atlanta.”
After one season at the University of Houston, where he averaged 16 points per game, Flemings declared for the NBA Draft. His selection made him the highest-drafted player from San Antonio since 1992, when Shaquille O’Neal went No. 1 overall to the Orlando Magic.
Earlier Tuesday, The Players’ Tribune published a letter from Flemings addressed to all 30 NBA general managers. In it, he said his greatest strengths are his resilience, adaptability and commitment to growth in the face of adversity.
In the letter, Flemings recounted two pivotal experiences that he said fueled his success on the court and helped shape him into “the best point guard in this draft.”
The first story was about a terrifying accident where he was run over by an SUV at the age of four.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that the accident taught me a ton about how you need to respond to adversity, and adapt to whatever circumstances you’re faced with,” he wrote. “I’ve absolutely made that one of my hallmarks on the basketball court.”
The second story was about his emotional breakdown earlier this year when No. 2-seed Houston lost to No. 3-seed Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
“I had wanted to win so bad, and I was just completely spent,” he wrote. “All the emotion … just came pouring out of me in real time. My body and mind just kind of took over. I’m not exactly sure what happened. But I am sure about why it happened. It’s because I care a ton.”
This coming NBA season, the Hawks will get a firsthand look at Flemings’ passion and competitiveness when he takes the court for his rookie campaign.