The Hawks’ newest players have touched down in Atlanta and they’re ready to get to work.
But first, the team introduced its three rookies to fans. On Thursday, Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar shared what their lives have been like over the last 48 hours.
For the three, the moment marked the beginning of a great opportunity for the rookies, who all couldn’t hold back their eagerness to prove themselves.
That drive from Flemings, Ejiofor and Veesaar drew Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh and the front office to draft them.
“The thing that resonates with me is like the character of these guys, mostly they’re just tremendous human beings, tremendous competitors, unbelievable people,” Saleh said in his opening statement on Thursday.
“And their families, I want to thank them. You guys have done an amazing job with these guys. They are unbelievable human beings. They’re gonna fit right in with our group.”
Here are some other takeaways from Thursday’s media availability.
Flemings agrees the new guys will fit right in.
“I watch a lot of basketball, so I’m watching the playoffs, watching the last season. I know once they got CJ (McCollum), I think they went 19-(6). So, having a vet like that, CJ is a one-of-a-kind player. So going to the playoffs and to play the Knicks team, who only lost what, three games? I mean, (the Hawks) beat them twice. Just seeing how young a team that was, and being able to compete like that. I know they play fast, they play hard on defense, and that’s kind of (what) all three of us do.”
Saleh said everyone earns their minutes.
“Here, we are going to be a working program here. You got to earn everything. You come into our building, you got to earn minutes, you got to earn your playing time, all that, and like these guys, like I know they’re going to fight for it and be super competitive about it.”
The Hawks felt lucky to get Veesaar at No. 52, Saleh said.
“I was shocked that he was there, and we were able to trade up to go get him. Super excited about that, and we were jumping up and down, so that when we were chasing from the middle of the early second round, to try to go figure out, so, got really lucky there.”
Fleming, Ejiofor and Veesaar’s ability to process the game was a common reason the Hawks drafted them, per Saleh.
“... It’s a common theme from our group, from the draft class that we had, guys that could process the game, make the right decisions, like how important that is to our group, and how we play, because we play fast.”
Veesaar has a few different bigs he likes to model his game after.
“Since I was little, I’ve liked watching Karl-Anthony Towns play. I feel like he’s one of those bigs that was really (one of) the first ones really shooting and being able to drive, kind of being able to create advantage of his shooting, and be able to move the basketball that way. I feel like lately, I’d be loving to look at Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, just kind of seeing how they move without the ball and the advantage they’re able to create with not having to touch the ball all the time, and just how they’re able to make winning plays with less.”
On an underrated part of his game, Ejiofor believes it’s his floor spacing.
“I think the number one thing you know that I’m willing to and excited to show to everybody is my ability to space the floor, on top of my defensive intangibles. I think my effort and my physicality, those are, you know, some of the things that I could do on a nightly basis.”
Their jersey numbers are set.
Flemings will don the No. 4. Ejiofor will wear No. 2 and Veesaar will represent the No. 13.
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