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Knicks draft pick Jack Kayil makes decision on NBA future
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- Knicks draft pick Jack Kayil makes decision on NBA future
Jack Kayil drives to the rim during the Knicks-Mavericks Summer League game on July 17, 2026.
Jack Kayil is officially a draft-and-stash prospect.
The Knicks ' second-round pick (No. 39) is heading back to Europe.
He signed a new five-year contract with Alba Berlin, the German team he played with last year.
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"Last season was super successful and I enjoyed a lot — that's why I'm all the more excited to stay in Berlin," Kayil said in a statement , originally posted in German. "Can't wait to pick up where we left off. The NBA is and remains a big dream of mine — and ALBA is the right place for me to continue that path. The club has already helped me take the decisive steps in this direction. I'm just happy and grateful to be back in this incredible environment."
Jack Kayil drives to the rim during the Knicks-Mavericks Summer League game on July 17, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks will retain Kayil's draft rights.
The 20-year-old Kayil was with the Knicks at Summer League, where he expressed his desire to stay with the team rather than be stashed overseas.
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"My goal is to play in the NBA," Kayil said. "That's why I went into the draft. …It's not my decision, so I'm just trying to show myself in the best way, and it is what it is. I'm super happy I also got drafted, and we'll see what happens in the next days, weeks, whatever."
Jack Kayil signed a new contract with Alba Berlin. Getty Images
The Knicks seemingly didn't feel like he was ready to contribute next year, though.
Kayil likely would have had to sign a two-way deal and spend time developing in the G League.
He averaged 8.8 points — on 34.2 percent shooting from the field and 22.7 percent shooting from 3-point range — along with 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in the four Summer League games he played in Las Vegas.
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A playmaking point guard, Kayil helped Alba Berlin win the Bundesliga championship last year — recording 10 points, three rebounds and a steal in the title game against Bayern Munich.
"Skillwise, he's still a work in progress, but his athleticism and toughness give him a chance someday soon to be an NBA player," Fran Fraschilla, ESPN's college and overseas basketball analyst, previously told The Post of Kayil . "I'm guessing that the Knicks think he needs a little bit more seasoning. I would be surprised if he was on the roster, but he wouldn't embarrass himself. But he's not ready to be a contributor on an NBA championship team.
"He's improving. He's headed toward being an NBA player. I don't know that he's there yet, but he certainly made a big step this year, winning a championship. He was a focal point as a 20-year-old on a team with men, grown-ups."
The Knicks still have all three of their two-way contract slots available.
