Why top-ranked basketball PG chose Houston over Texas Tech
11/14/2024 06:52 PM
The Houston basketball team delivered one more major recruiting victory Thursday, off the heels of Kelvin Sampson landing a five-star talent a day before. This time, they edged out an in-state Big 12 Conference rival to land a top-20 recruit for the Class of 2025.
Kingston Flemings verbally committed to the Cougars, confirming his decision with On3.com’s Joe Tipton. Flemings heads to UH as more than a top 20 prospect. He’ll head to the Cougars as On3’s No. 1 ranked point guard.
The 6-foot-3 senior out of William J. Brennan High turns down offers from Arkansas and Texas. However, it appeared Texas Tech emerged in the final running, per On3.com. So how did the Cougars win over the talented San Antonio native?
"I chose Houston because of the winning culture that they've built," Flemings told Tipton. "I want to go somewhere where we can compete on any given night and I'm playing against and with the best players so I can get better in practice and in games.”
Sampson has created a culture that has delivered four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Houston has even skyrocketed to No. 1 overall twice under the veteran head coach. The Cougars have won 22 or more games since the 2015-16 season while under Sampson. This year’s team currently checks in at No. 4 in the rankings.
New Houston PG adds another reason for choosing Cougars
Culture wasn’t the lone reason behind Flemings’ decision to choose Houston.
Flemings researched how UH uses its guards. That aspect immediately persuaded his decision to verbally pledge to Houston.
"I think seeing the way they've gotten their guards in the past better every single year. Jamal Shead was a three-star and went to Houston from Manor, and now he's doing great with Toronto.”
The 22-year-old Shead did indeed thrive at UH. He started in 108 out of 138 total games. Shead went on to earn consensus All-American honors for his senior season of 2023-24. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard landed to the Raptors at No. 45 overall in the second round of the draft. Flemings broke down what type of play he brings on a nightly basis on the hardwood.
"I'd say I'm a quick twitch facilitator. I think the best thing I do is pass and get people open. I'm athletic and can score but that's for sure what I do best. I'm also an elite defender and leader on the court,” he said.
Flemings exploded on the national radar as a four-year varsity letterman. He averaged 14.7 points per game his freshman season per MaxPreps. Flemings improved that number to a 17.1 average as a junior. The point guard also grabbed a career-best 7.1 rebounds each game in 2023-24.
He’s now the second hard commit for Houston’s 2025 class. Sampson and UH landed prized five-star Isiah Harwell from Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah back on Sept. 12. Houston has one other signing in the class: Three-star Bryce Jackson out of Shadow Creek High in Pearland. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard signed on Wednesday.
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