Jack Kayil Returning to Germany

Knicks fans will have to wait at least one more year before getting an up-close look at second-round selection Jack Kayil.

ALBA Berlin officially announced on Friday that they have re-signed the 20-year-old guard to a five-year contract, keeping one of Europe’s most intriguing young prospects in Germany.

Kayil had repeatedly expressed a desire to play in the NBA this season, but a combination of logistical and financial hurdles made that outcome unlikely.

The Knicks could have signed him to a two-way contract, but under the current CBA, NBA teams are prohibited from paying overseas buyout fees for players on two-way deals. That would have forced Kayil to cover the buyout out of his own pocket—an unrealistic expectation, particularly after ALBA reportedly paid Mega Basket to acquire his exclusive European rights.

New York also had the option of signing Kayil to a standard NBA contract, which would have allowed the team to cover the buyout. But with the Knicks operating under severe financial constraints as they attempt to remain below the second apron, using a guaranteed roster spot on a 20-year-old second-round pick was always a difficult sell, especially with New York still needing to add a third-string center.

So, instead of uncertainty on a two-way, Kayil received a long-term contract through 2031 with ALBA Berlin, where he’ll play significant minutes in a high-level European league and continue to develop in a system that has produced quality NBA talent.

Last season, despite facing much older and stronger competition, Kayil, at just 19 years of age, more than held his own, averaging 12.4 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game for ALBA Berlin, while shooting 38.3% from the floor, 31% from behind the arc and 78.5% from the free-throw line.

In the process, he was named the Basketball Bundesliga Best German Young Player. In Bundesliga history, the only players younger than Kayil to win that award are Franz Wagner in 2019, Johann Grünloh (who started for the University of Virginia last season) and Dennis Schröder in 2013.