The player who wants to return to the NBA despite Real Madrid's interest

Killian Hayes has been without a team since March 1, when his 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets ended. The 24-year-old French player has been working to return to the NBA since then and wants to achieve it before the start of the 2024/25 season. His decision seems final, as it is said that he has already turned down offers from Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague.

The French-American point guard began his career as one of the most intriguing prospects of the 2020 NBA Draft, and despite not fully breaking through, he is not ready to close his chapter in the NBA. After a 2024-25 season split between the G-League and some minutes with the Nets, the player aims to secure an invitation to a preseason camp this summer, as reported by NBA Rumors through the outlet BeBasket.

For Hayes, this determination stems from a mix of ambition and personal conviction. Developed in the ranks of French Cholet Basket and later at German Ratiopharm Ulm, he entered the NBA as the 7th overall pick in the 2020 Draft, selected by the Detroit Pistons. However, as mentioned, his trajectory in the league has been inconsistent.

His time with Brooklyn last season was limited in minutes, and he couldn't showcase much of his basketball skills. In the G-League, he displayed more confidence in ball handling and distribution, trying to reclaim the playmaker identity that led him to be considered one of the top international prospects of his generation.

The challenge for Hayes is monumental. The NBA, especially now, presents an ecosystem where the point guard position is saturated with talent, and teams seek increasingly versatile and efficient profiles. This is evident, for instance, with the Sacramento Kings, who have signed Dennis Schröder and are also looking to acquire Russell Westbrook and Malcolm Brogdon.

Currently, Hayes continues to train and await a call that could firmly place him back in the best league in the world. Time will tell whether his belief in staying in the NBA will bear fruit or if, later on, Europe will once again emerge as a viable path to reignite his career.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El jugador que quiere volver a la NBA pese al interés del Real Madrid