Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts on the sideline during the second half of an NCAA men’s college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
After the 2026 NBA Draft concluded on June 23-24, four former Cougars received a phone call they’ve waited a long time for.
Former freshman guard Kingston Flemings was the first Cougar off the board when he went eighth overall to the Atlanta Hawks. Flemings averaged 16 points and five assists last season for Houston. He brings scrappiness to Atlanta as well, averaging a steal a game and offering sticky defense.
He also saw improvement in shooting from the perimeter over the course of his year at Houston. Although his quickness and explosiveness will translate immediately, he will need to finish through contact on a more consistent basis. At 19, he offers long-term upside and has plenty of room to develop.
The Boston Celtics selected former freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th pick. Cenac brings value with a combination of smoothness and size and has made strides as a rebounder since beginning with Houston. He also possesses a natural shooting touch that separates him from typical players of his length. His on-court identity is still developing, but the upside is that he is even younger than Flemings.
Cenac Jr. was a one-and-done player at Houston, like Flemings, averaging nearly 10 points and eight rebounds in his single season. Although the block numbers aren’t flashy due to his role as a primary rebounder, he has shown prowess defending the interior. He is relatively efficient, hitting nearly 49 percent of his total field goals and just 33 percent from three.
Boston is a great place for Cenac Jr. to absorb knowledge and grow in a winning and successful environment. He has all the tools to develop into an impactful player alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Houston’s all-time leader in three-pointers was selected 45th overall, as former graduate guard Emanuel Sharp will join the Sacramento Kings.
Sharp left Houston as a program icon and elite shooter. He averaged 15.5 points per game on 37 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Being a reliable shooter and defender allows him to excel at the number two guard. Sharp’s offensive game isn’t the most versatile, but the pairing of Acuff Jr. and Sharp will be a force on the court.
Sacramento is trying to lay a winning foundation and a player like Sharp and his background at Houston is a great start. Whether he turns into a Kings legend or a trade piece, Sharp will carve out a role for himself in the NBA.
Finally, former graduate guard Milos Uzan joined Cenac Jr. as he signed with the Celtics the day after the draft concluded. He will bring youth and depth to the point guard position.
Uzan is a smart, competitive, team-first point guard. He rarely forces a play or makes a mistake and like every other Cougar listed, is a tough defender. But although he has shown flashes of being a good scorer with a polished offensive game, the consistency isn’t completely there. Each shooting percentage roller-coastered over the course of his four seasons. If he can become a more consistent outside shooter and a more assertive scorer, he can become a meaningful player for the Celtics.
Uzan may have to wait a little while before he gets his shot, either with the Celtics or in the NBA in general. But he possesses tools that a coach cannot teach and they will find value in the league quickly. It also helps that he will have a college teammate to go through the throws of being a rookie with. It is possible in the future, two Boston stars will have an underlying tone of red in their green jersey.
These four stars have a bright future ahead of them in the NBA, as they strive to bring Houston’s success in the pros.
sports@thedailycougar.com
