Jack Kayil will remain with ALBA Berlin for the upcoming season. Despite being selected in the 2026 NBA Draft, the 20-year-old point guard has chosen to continue his development in Germany for now and has committed his long-term future to the German club.
Kayil was selected with the 39th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets before his draft rights were transferred to the New York Knicks. New York will continue to hold those rights, but the young Berlin guard is not expected to join the Knicks’ NBA roster immediately.
Instead, Kayil signed a new contract with ALBA through 2031. Keeping him was not a straightforward process for Berlin, as he was still under contract with KK Mega Basket and ALBA therefore had to pay a transfer fee. Sporting director Himar Ojeda described Kayil’s return as an important move for the club’s future.
For Kayil, the decision does not mean giving up on the NBA. His long-term goal remains reaching the world’s top basketball league. ALBA should give him the opportunity to take on significant responsibility at a high European level and develop in a much larger role than he would likely receive in New York right now.
The Knicks’ decision to use a draft-and-stash approach also makes sense. Kayil showed intriguing flashes during Summer League, averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds, but still has areas to develop, particularly on the offensive end. New York can monitor his progress from afar without immediately using an NBA roster spot on him.
In Berlin, however, Kayil will get something especially valuable for a young point guard: playing time, responsibility and the freedom to make mistakes. After a strong previous season in which he won the German championship with ALBA and took another step forward as one of Germany’s most promising young guards, his role should become even bigger.
For ALBA, keeping Kayil is therefore a major success. And for the player himself, another season in Berlin does not have to represent a step away from the NBA. The Knicks still own his draft rights, and if his development continues on its current path, the coming season may be less about postponing his NBA dream and more about preparing him properly for it.
