Jack Kayil‘s wait is over.
Five days after multiple reports from Germany indicated the New York Knicks‘ second-round draft pick would join the team’s NBA Summer League roster once a contractual matter involving his European club was resolved, the move has become official.
The Knicks have added Kayil to their Summer League roster, where the 20-year-old guard will wear No. 77 as he prepares to make his organizational debut in Las Vegas.
The update confirms what Kayil’s representative and the German media had been signaling after the Bundesliga Best Young Player was notably absent from New York’s original 17-player Summer League roster.
German Reports Proved Accurate
Kayil’s omission initially fueled speculation that the Knicks had already finalized plans to keep the rookie overseas throughout the 2026-27 season.
Instead, German basketball journalist Julius Ostendorf reported the delay stemmed from an unresolved letter of clearance involving Serbian club Mega Basket, which still held Kayil’s contractual rights.
Kayil’s agent, Milan Nikolic, further fueled optimism by posting a “Wait & see” message on Instagram before later expressing confidence that the paperwork would soon be completed.
The Knicks’ updated Summer League roster has now validated those reports.
Although the administrative hurdle delayed his arrival, it never appeared to alter New York’s evaluation of the talented guard selected with the 39th overall pick.
First Opportunity to Impress Knicks
Getty Second-round pick Jack Kayil headlines the Knicks’ Summer League roster as New York opens play in Las Vegas on July 10.
Kayil now receives his first opportunity to play in a Knicks uniform after emerging as one of Europe’s fastest-rising young guards.
The Berlin native averaged 12.2 points, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds last season while earning Germany’s Bundesliga Best Young Player award, joining countrymen Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder among the youngest recipients of the honor. He also participated in Basketball Without Borders camps before hearing his name called on draft night.
Summer League offers New York’s front office and coaching staff their first extended opportunity to evaluate how Kayil’s creativity, scoring ability and playmaking translate against NBA-level competition.
For Kayil, it also represents the chance to strengthen his case that his NBA timeline could arrive sooner than expected.
Overseas Development Plan Still Looms for Knicks Draft Pick
His Summer League participation does not necessarily change the Knicks’ long-term plans.
Before free agency opened, SNY’s Ian Begley reported New York expected Kayil to continue his development in Europe during the upcoming season, with ALBA Berlin viewed as a likely destination.
The Knicks’ salary cap situation has only reinforced that possibility.
After re-signing several key contributors and agreeing to terms with veteran center Andre Drummond, New York continues operating under owner James Dolan’s directive to remain below the NBA’s restrictive second salary apron.
That leaves the defending champions with limited roster flexibility and makes an opening-night NBA roster spot difficult for the second-round pick.
No. 77 Adds Intriguing Detail
Kayil’s assignment of No. 77 also stands out.
The number has become one of the NBA’s most recognizable jersey numbers in recent years because of Luka Dončić, though there is no indication that Kayil selected it for that reason.
Instead, the jersey simply becomes another memorable detail as one of the Knicks’ most intriguing international prospects begins his professional journey with the organization.
The larger takeaway is more significant.
What began as uncertainty surrounding paperwork has ended with Kayil exactly where many expected him to be all along—on the Knicks’ Summer League roster, finally getting his first opportunity to show New York why it invested a second-round pick in one of Europe’s most promising young guards.
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