Killian Hayes

French guard Killian Hayes led all scores with 13 points to go along with 2 blocks and a steal.  Measured at 6'4.75 in shoes with a 6'7.25 wingspan, Hayes is a 15-year-old combo guard with terrific size, a strong frame, and nice all-around athleticism.  Adept at attacking the rim with quickness and making an impact with his competitiveness defending multiple positions, Hayes already earned minutes in the French junior league this season for Cholet competing alongside players as many as five years his senior.  Still developing as a passer and jump shooter, Hayes, whose father, DeRon, was a tremendous scorer in the A10 in the early 90's for Penn State and spent almost 20 years as a pro in Europe, is a player to keep tabs on in the coming years given his tools, competitiveness, and pedigree. His ability to lock down up to three positions gives him tremendous versatility to build off, as its rare to see a player his age be able to make such a significant impact on the defensive end with his intensity, instints and focus.

Killian Hayes, France, PG/SG, Cholet, 15.7 Strengths
-Strong physical profile. Looks around 6'4, possibly 6'5, with a strong, mature frame
-Speedy in the open court. Covers ground defensively. Can play above the rim. Rotates for blocks
-Aggressive attacking in the open floor. Not afraid to take the ball right into the teeth of the defense. Draws contact and gets to the free throw line
-Impressive defender both on and off the ball. Puts pressure on the ball. Slides his feet. Puts a lot of pride in his work on this end of the floor. Shows the potential to guard any of the backcourt positions. Crashes the defensive glass
-Can make an open 3-pointer, especially spotting up. Ball comes out decently
-Unselfish. Willing facilitator. Had seven assists in the game
-Has good bloodlines. Father, Deron Hayes, is American, played college basketball and professionally in France.
 Weaknesses
-Still figuring out his skill-level in the half-court. Not a high-level shot-creator when the game slows down. Needs to improve his ball-handling skills, off-hand, and overall feel. Can get a bit turnover prone at times trying to force the issue
-Has a very low release point on his spot-up jumper, with some side-spin. Shot just 1-6 for 3 in the game. Pull-up jumper needs work.
 Outlook Lefty combo guard who showed nice versatility throughout the week, playing and guarding all three backcourt positions. Not clear yet what his position is long-term or what he does at the highest levels, outside of his excellent defense. Shows really nice potential in many aspects though. Tough and aggressive. Already playing up in the French Espoirs league at 15-years old, despite being five to seven years younger than many of the players there. Second youngest player to see minutes in that competition this season.