Killian Hayes’ 2023 Paris Game Also Was A Trip To His Past
Killian Hayes, the highly-touted French point guard, made a name for himself during his time with the Ulm basketball team in Germany.
Hayes joined Ulm in 2019, at the age of 18, and quickly established himself as one of the top players in the German league. He averaged 12.8 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in his first season, earning himself a spot on the league’s All-Rookie team.
The following season, Hayes took his game to the next level. He averaged 14.4 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, leading Ulm to the playoffs and earning himself a spot on the league’s All-Star team.
Hayes’ performances with Ulm did not go unnoticed by the NBA, and in 2020 he was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 7th overall pick in the NBA draft.
After the NBA Paris game between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls, I got to asked the point guard if his experience in Europe has helped him prepare for the game, and if he talked to teammates about the different atmosphere in European arenas.
This is when Hayes heaped praise on his former team and its fans:
“The atmosphere was great over there. The fans were great, repping the orange. I’d say the game is… smaller court, I’d say the refs let a lot more go, a lot more slide… maybe it’s a little slower pace but still, I feel like European basketball is just growing every single year.”
Noch paar Arbeitsnachweise von gestern… pic.twitter.com/lN3jb4TyqL
— Len Werle (@RealLennyCarlos) January 20, 2023
Hayes’ time with Ulm was a huge success. He developed into a top player in the German league, and his performances earned him a spot in the NBA. His time with Ulm helped him to grow both as a player and as a person, and he will always be remembered as one of the best players to ever wear the Ulm jersey.
