Draft Prospect Killian Hayes Met With Wizards, Sees Fit With Wall and Beal

Killian Hayes met with Wizards, sees fit with Wall and Beal originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The Wizards recently interviewed guard Killian Hayes, a top-10 prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft, he told reporters on Monday in a video conference as part of the annual draft combine. Hayes, 19, is likely to be a lottery pick and could be one of the best options when the Wizards are on the clock at No. 9.

Hayes has also met with the Warriors, Bulls and Spurs. He says he models his game after James Harden, Manu Ginobili and Goran Dragic, as a slashing, left-handed guard. He also mentioned Milos Teodosic's ability to make reads off pick-and-rolls as something he tries to emulate.

That last note says plenty about how Hayes sees the game. He is considered to have a very high basketball IQ and he clearly takes a cerebral approach to studying his idols.

The question for Hayes with the Wizards would be whether he can coexist with John Wall and Bradley Beal as a guard. Hayes is considered by most evaluators as a point guard who is at his best with the ball in his hands.

Hayes, for instance, said this of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have drafted Collin Sexton and Darius Garland in the past two drafts:

"They already have two guards, so it doesn't make sense to go with another guard."

Hayes, though, was asked about playing both guard positions in a question framed around the Wizards having Wall and Beal. He insists he could still make an impact.

"I can play the one or the two, it doesn't really matter. I feel I can be effective at both positions. But this year, I really felt comfortable as the point guard," Hayes said.

In order to continue developing his shooting guard skillset, Hayes said he is currently working on coming off screens and moving without the ball to stay in the right position for the offense to flow.

If the Wizards drafted Hayes, he would likely have to serve as a combo guard behind Wall and Beal with the potential to play alongside them in three-guard sets.

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