NBA Draft Wednesday, November 18, 2020 Bristol, Connecticut, USA Killian Hayes French j'arrive, which means I'm coming. I see Detroit is making a lot of trades. I hope he stays in Detroit and Q. Killian, congratulations. A lot is made of the everything goes well. European experience for draft prospects. What was that like for you, and how did that equip you as a pro Q. Hi, Killian, congratulations. How does it feel to be when you're entering the NBA? the top European pick of this draft? Deni Avdija was predicted to be the top European for the draft, and now KILLIAN HAYES: It's definitely hard coming in at 15, 16 you are. How does it feel? years old, playing against grown men, but I learned a lot from it. Even this season when I started the season slow, KILLIAN HAYES: It's a cool title to hold, but it's not but Jaka really trusted me, and we put in a lot of work to be something I was aiming for. I'm just trying to be in a great on the court or watching tape. It really paid off. During the situation where I'm able to play and show what I can do. season we got better and better and better. Now I understand how to play the game of basketball and how to Q. Welcome to Detroit, man. How much make the right plays. communication did you have with the Pistons? I know you worked out for them, but were you confident, if Q. Welcome to Detroit. you were there at 7, that you were going to be the pick for them? KILLIAN HAYES: I feel great, man. Thank you. KILLIAN HAYES: I was pretty confident. Like everybody Q. I know Will Bynum worked out with you. Just you knows, nothing is guaranteed. There was no like 100 coming to Detroit knowing he was a former Pistons percent sure I was going to go to Detroit, but I had a good player, did he tell you anything about the franchise? feeling about it from the meeting that we had, the talk that What was your impressions of the franchise? we had. Detroit was the team I wanted to go to.
KILLIAN HAYES: Just playing hard. The city loves hard Q. I just wanted to know how you feel about playing workers. Bring it all the time, 100 percent on the floor. alongside Derrick Rose, a guy like that, if you can learn Dive for balls, could be anything. Just give it your all right from him. there. KILLIAN HAYES: I can definitely learn from him. I Q. They obviously brought in Troy Weaver. You guys remember when I was like 10, 11, watching D. Rose got all these first-round draft picks coming in as well. highlights. I can really learn a lot from him about the game. How do you feel as far as starting a new culture in He played in the league for a long time now, so he knows Detroit? the game and how it goes down in the NBA. So I'm definitely excited to play with him and learn from him. KILLIAN HAYES: I'm excited for it. I had a lot of talks with Coach [Dwane] Casey and Troy. I'm ready. I can't wait for Q. Hello, Killian. Congrats. First of all, how hungry it. I can't wait to get back on the court, meet everybody, you are about next season? How big is the motivation and start getting to work. for you to play with the Detroit Pistons? Also, you feel ready to set some pick-and-rolls with Blake Griffin? Q. Killian, congrats on being drafted by the Pistons tonight. I know a big excitement for you is playing KILLIAN HAYES: Yeah, man, I'm super excited. I can't with Sekou [Doumbouya]. Have you and Sekou wait for the season to start. I've been working out for eight exchanged any messages? What's it like having a straight months, and now I'm just waiting to get back on the friend on the team. court and just show what I can do. First of all, I'm trying to prove to my teammates and my coaches that they can KILLIAN HAYES: Yeah, as soon as I got drafted, Sekou really trust me. I'm going to give it my all out on the floor. sent me the eyes emoji, that's looking away. I told him in And when it comes to game time, we've got to bring out the
103042-2-1043 2020-11-19 04:21:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 best in everybody so we can win that game. KILLIAN HAYES: That was eight months ago. I've been working a lot since then. Right now my right hand is not an Playing with Blake, yeah, obviously, Blake is one of the issue. I wouldn't say it's as good as my left, but I can go great players in the NBA. Yeah, off the pick-and-roll, he right at will now. So I can pass with my right with accuracy, can do multiple things. He's got great hands. He can and it's not a problem anymore. shoot the ball. He can catch lobs. So I'm really excited to play with Blake. Q. Killian, congratulations, and good luck in the NBA. I have one good question for you here: I want to know, Q. Just want to get your thoughts on just joining a obviously being a fan of the NBA and now you're going team that's in such flux right now. You mentioned to be playing in the NBA, is there one particular some of the trades that are being made, but you can't matchup you're going to be excited to like go against a really look at the roster and say this guy is going to be certain player or a player that you may have watched there or that guy is not going to be there. Just joining on TV or looked at and studies their game? that and you being a foundational piece of that. KILLIAN HAYES: I'm excited to play against everybody, KILLIAN HAYES: I mean, we're building a whole new especially all the great guards. Curry, Harden, Dame team. I want to call to Troy and Coach Casey to talk more Lillard, Siakam, and all of those guys. D. Rose, he's one of about the team. For now I just want to enjoy the moment, the great point guards, and he's been in the league for a and when it's time to go to Detroit, let's get to work. We've long time. So I'm excited to learn from him and also got to build a team and make sure we're ready to win compete against him at practice. games. Q. Hi, Killian. I was just curious what you knew about Q. Killian, walk me through the emotions of when the history of the team and the city and what you're Adam Silver comes to the podium and says your looking forward to when you get here. name, the emotions, the thoughts running through your head. KILLIAN HAYES: I mean, everybody knows about the Bad Boys. In '04 they won the championship. Will, I trained KILLIAN HAYES: That was just really -- it's a big relief with Will all last summer, and he came down to Orlando because in my head I kind of knew it was Detroit, but like a month ago. So we talked a lot about Detroit. Yeah, nothing was guaranteed. When I heard my name with he said it's a hard-working city. So if I get drafted there, Detroit, I was really happy. You could see the reaction of just make sure I bring my all every game. my mom and dad just jumping around. A lot of excitement. I felt super proud of myself. FastScripts by ASAP Sports
Q. Killian, welcome to Detroit. What would you say is the best part of your game and maybe the part of your game that you need to work on the most?
KILLIAN HAYES: The best part is definitely play-making. Just making plays for others or making plays for myself. I love dishing out the ball for easy assists. I love playing fast in transition. I just like to make plays.
The part that I need to work on is everything, honestly. I know I have a lot of things to learn about the game. I played overseas most of my life, so coming in, I know I need to watch a lot of tape, talk with all my teammates about how the game is played. So just adjusting to the NBA style of basketball.
Q. And do you feel some criticism that says you're too much with your left hand, can't go to the right, do you think that's fair, or is that something you just have to work on?
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