A good part of fans of the NBA are learning the name of Killian Hayes, the 19-year-old French-American point guard who could be one of the top 5 in the Draft Wednesday night. The 1.80 meter southpaw is among the international talents eligible for teams. Also there are Deni Avdija, from Israel; Théo Maledon, from France; Leandro Bolmaro, from Argentina; and Aleksej Pokusevski, from Serbia.
There were 108 international players on the eligible rosters for the 2019-20 Season Draft. That number could rise this year and Hayes will be one of the new faces. He has the ability to create space for himself or for his teammates. It will benefit from the NBA’s 3-second defensive rule and is effective in the pick and roll. In Europe, defenders can obstruct the lane.
“When he gets into the paint he’s able to find his shooters, he’s able to find his great men,” said Peyton Siva Jr., who plays for Alba Berlin in the German league. “That is when it is most dangerous, when it is capable of creating for others.”
Playing in Ulm – Albert Einstein’s hometown in Germany – Hayes showed he has room for improvement. He was inconsistent in the 3-point range (21.8% in 20 national league games; 39% in 10 EuroCup games), but he is skilled with the ball. “He dominated me with a very good play at the top of the bottle,” recalls Siva, who played one season with the Detroit Pistons. Hayes finished with 20 points and 10 assists in the loss to Siva’s team.
Although calm, Hayes does not lack confidence. He was born in Florida but grew up in his mother’s hometown, Cholet, in western France, where his American father played basketball. DeRon Hayes played for Penn Statey in Europe. Killian made his debut at Cholet at the age of 16. “Killian’s father was in all practice,” explains his former teammate Antywane Robinson, “in the same place at the top of the stands. Their relationship is beautiful. ”
Hayes’ mother, Sandrine, never missed a game and her cousins attended as well. He had all of Cholet expectant about his game. Hayes won co-MVP honors at the Jordan Brand ClassicInternational Game in 2017. He also played for French youth teams before turning down an invitation to play for a French under-20 team. Later he moved to Germany.
Hayes has spent the last few months in Lakeland, Florida, his father’s hometown, about 40 miles southwest of the NBA bubble at Walt Disney World. He has been training with another Lakeland native, Dwayne Bacon of the Charlotte Hornets.
The scholar Hayes explains he usually analyzes the great left-handed stars such as James Harden, Goran Dragic and Manu Ginobili. His agent told him to expect to be recruited between number 2 and 10.
Other international NBA talents to watch out for: Scouts from Deni Avdija They like the versatility of this 19-year-old Israeli, but are not so in love with his poor free kick. Avdija says not to worry. At 2.04 tall, he can play in various positions and does a bit of everything. His stats from the 2019 U-20 European Championship final: 23 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal. Israel beat Spain for gold and Avdija was the MVP of the tournament.
In 59 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv last season, he scored just under 59% from the free throw line and 33% from 3-point range. “It is a matter of time and I think it is a matter of the head,” Avdija said of the dismal percentage in a video conference with the media. “I think I can score even above 70%. I’m going to get there. ”
There is no comparison to Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic or anyone else. “I just want to be the best Deni Avdija that I can be,” he said. “I don’t want to be compared to anyone.”
The 19-year-old Théo Maledon He is a French guard who compares himself to Tony Parker. Maledon was 17 when he was named ‘best young player’ in the French league in 2018-19. That puts him in good company as past winners include current and former NBA players Frank Ntilikina, Evan Fournier, Clint Capela, Boris Diaw and Parker. Maledon and Parker grew up in the same city: Rouen, in the Normandy region. And like Parker, Maledon has considerable professional experience playing in France and in the Euroleague. He also played on Parker’s team, ASVEL in the city of Lyon. Parker bought the team while he was still playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
Maledon, 1.92 and close to 80 kilos, lost time early last season with a shoulder injury and acknowledges that his recruiting stock may have dwindled a bit. “That stays in my head,” he said in a video conference with the media. But “only on the court can you prove things.”
Leandro Bolmaro, from Argentina, is another versatile international project. At 1.98 tall and 83 kilos, he can play forward and point guard. The 20-year-old Bolmaro is also gaining experience coming off the Barcelona bench in the Endesa League as well as the Euroleague. Bolmaro is comfortable using pick and rolls and attacking the painting to finish himself or pass his teammates in space.
The 7ft Serbian Alexey Pokusevsky he has played mostly in the Greek second division. NBA fans won’t remember it, but it’s where Giannis Antetokounmpo played before he was drafted in 2013. Not that anyone compares the 18-year-old Pokusevski to the Greek MVP, but the Serb has impressed scouts with his handling. of the ball, his shot and his defense. Playing for Olympiacos’ tied team, Pokusevski averaged nearly 10 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
