The 2020 NBA Draft was Wednesday night, and with the 7th overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Killian Hayes. Here’s the Detroit Free Press:
Even though he was raised in France, Killian Hayes had the most Detroit Pistons connections of any player the organization could’ve targeted in Wednesday’s 2020 NBA draft.
Hayes, 19, began training with former Pistons point guard Will Bynum last summer, thanks to a connection with former Pistons guard and president Joe Dumars. And Hayes is good friends with Sekou Doumbouya, his fellow Frenchman.
On Wednesday night, it became official. The Pistons selected Hayes seventh overall, giving them one of the best point guard prospects in the draft to kick off their retooling.
Hayes, 6-foot-5 with a 6-8 wingspan, established himself as one of the draft’s more versatile players, bringing both size, playmaking and scoring upside to Detroit.
And the Detroit News:
Weaver stuck to the draft board and set the Pistons up at a needed position. With Derrick Rose as the only experienced point guard on the roster, Hayes doesn’t have to step into the starting lineup immediately and can learn the ropes.
“We stayed true to the board, absolutely. It pretty much went the way we thought we would go,” Weaver said. “We were fortunate enough that our guy was at No. 7 and we were excited about that.”
Hayes has extensive international experience and is known for his pick-and-roll ability and with his 6-8 wingspan, he can become a solid defender for the Pistons on the perimeter.
The only stars on the current Pistons roster played better basketball in the past: point guard Derrick Rose and power forward Blake Griffin. Most other spots in the rotation are up for grabs.
