3. Killian Hayes – Ratiopharm Ulm
I view Killian Hayes as a lefty version of Tyrese Haliburton but with a little less polish. Similar to Haliburton he’s a really good passer, especially out of the pick and roll, and his size (6-foot-4) allows him to see the floor well and execute some difficult passes.
He doesn’t have elite burst or lift on his drives but he’s really smooth and his ability to change speeds and improved ability to make shots, especially off the dribble, make him really dangerous in pick-and-roll situations.
His offensive skillset shows a lot of promise but it’s still a little unrefined when you try to project it to the NBA. He heavily favors drives to his left and their offense can get stagnant when defenses are able to successfully able to force him to his right hand. Additionally, while he shows really good feel as a passer, his youth shows at times when tries to thread the needle in situations where he doesn’t need to and can be baited into making mistakes.
If he wants to play meaningful minutes during his first couple years in the NBA he’ll need to get better without the ball in his hands as it’s unlikely that any team will give him the keys to the car and let him drive it. I think he’s capable of continuing his improvement as an off-ball scorer and can play a role while he continues to develop as a primary ball-handler.
The skills are there, it just might take some time.