German guard Jack Kayil electing to stay in NBA Draft, won't play at Gonzaga in 2026-27
May 13—Jack Kayil signed with Gonzaga last November, but the highly touted German guard won't step foot on campus after choosing to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft. Kayil's decision, reported Wednesday by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, is a significant hit to Gonzaga's backcourt, where the 20-year-old was penciled in as a possible starter next to returning point guard Mario Saint-Supery. Listed as a combo guard, Kayil hasn't been a consensus first- or second-round draft choice in recent mock drafts, but Givony reported he's receiving "first-round feedback (coming) off an outstanding season in Germany with Alba Berlin.
" Kayil was invited to the NBA Draft Combine taking place this week in Chicago but was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts with his professional season in Germany. Alba Berlin finished its regular season on Sunday and is now preparing for the opening round of the Bundesliga playoffs. Mock drafts published by ESPN, Yahoo!
and On3 recently didn't list Kayil, but the 6-foot-5 guard checked in at No. 49 on ESPN's Top 100 big board, equating to a mid-to-late second-round pick. Kayil was one of the top performers for Alba Berlin this season, averaging 12.
1 points, 3. 5 assists and 2. 8 rebounds in 20.
9 minutes per game during Bundesliga play. In Basketball Champions League action, the guard averaged 11. 9 ppg, 4.