“I have a great relationship with Sekou (Doumbouya). I’ve done multiple camps with him. It would be an easy adjustment if I went there because I know him,” said Killian Hayes, a presumed top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. “Playing with him … it would be fun. He’s one of my guys.” 

Hayes and Doumbouya have long been connected. They both launched their basketball careers in France, and as Hayes said, have participated in numerous camps with one another.

Doumbouya took to Instagram on Wednesday to respond to Hayes’ comments, fueling the buzz starting to grow around the two. 

Hayes is one of the more enamoring options for Detroit, who will pick 7th on November 18th, in the 2020 NBA Draft. At 6’5”, Hayes provides great size at the point guard position, something the Pistons have not had in a very long time. It just so happens that Detroit is in need of finding a lead guard to begin their franchise rebuild that the organization promises is more of a retooling. 

There is no doubt that it was a big adjustment for Doumbouya last season to come to a new country while being the youngest player in the league. If Detroit were to draft Hayes, it would provide both of them with a friend and familiar face.

But Hayes’ connections to Detroit don’t stop with Doumbouya. He had been training with former Piston point guard Will Bynum and the relationship between those two was begun through Joe Dumars.  

With the draft still over a month away, Detroit still has time to talk to plenty of prospects before Wednesday 18th. They have already spoken to Tyrese Haliburton, the point guard prospect out of Iowa State. 

If Hayes is still on the board when the Pistons are on the clock come November 18th, Detroit could be looking at pairing the two French friends together as the building blocks to begin the franchise’s rebuild.

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