Top 20 recruit Kingston Flemings chooses Houston, rejects Texas Tech Offer

Flemings stays in state and was attracted by the Cougars' "culture of winning"

San Marcos Rattlers guard Jayven Cofer (right) tries to dribble into the lane as Brennan Bears guard Kingston Flemings defends during the first period at the Class 6A Regional Finals for Boys basketball playoff on Saturday, Mar 4, 2023, at Northside Sports Gym in San Antonio, Texas. Flemings committed to Houston on Thursday / John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kingston Flemings wants to win. He’s done that at San Antonio Brennan High School. Now the plan is to do the same at the University of Houston.

The 6-foot-3, 165-pound point guard, a 4-star recruit ranked No. 18 overall and No. 3 at his position in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports, committed to the Cougars over Texas Tech on Thursday afternoon at San Antonio Brennan High School.

Flemings announced his decision on a 247Sports livestream on YouTube. In all, he holds 20 offers, including Alabama, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan, LSU, Texas and Tennessee.

Interviewed by his sister Bella at the school, in front of family, friends, coaches and teammates, Flemings said he picked Houston and Texas Tech as finalists because of how early they started recruiting him.

“Believed in me before I was top 2 in Texas, before I was top 20 in the country,” Flemings said. “Both schools that play fast and win.”

Flemings said Houston won out because of its winning culture.

“They’ve won everywhere they’ve gone, Coach Samp (head coach Kelvin Sampson) and all that,” Flemings told 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein, who hosted the livestream. “So, I wanted to go to a school where I’m playing with the best, against the best and for the best. Going to a school where I know I can win a national championship, and Houston is that.”

Flemings said the Cougars are getting a winner.

“I’m going to come into practice every single day and work,” he said. “Someone that will do whatever they need me to do on the court. If they need me to defend the best player, I can do that. If they need me to score, I can do that. Just trying to bring a national championship to Houston.”

Flemings, a native of San Antonio, is a dynamic, athletic talent.

He averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and two steals per game as a junior last year for Brennan, which went 31-5 and won an undefeated Class 6A district championship. He helped lead the Bears to a 32-8 record and the Class 6A state semifinals his sophomore year.

Travis Branham, 247Sports national basketball analyst, said Flemings is one of the best athletes in the class.

Flemings does well putting pressure on the defense with his speed and ability to probe the paint. But he is exceptional using his length and athleticism on the defensive side of the ball.

“He’s one kid that we can say that the best years of his basketball career are still ahead of him,” Branham said.

Houston has won 28 or more games for four consecutive seasons, asserting its identity on defense. Last year, the Cougars were second in the country in defense.

If players can’t defend, they won’t play for Sampson. Flemings defends, and does so at an elite level.

“It’s a perfect fit between him and Houston,” Branham said.

Flemings is the second top-20 national prospect committed to Houston for the Class of 2025 so far, joining Isiah Harwell out of Mount Pleasant, Utah.