Knicks select 20-year-old German guard Jack Kayil with 39th pick in 2026 NBA draft

Knicks select 20-year-old German guard Jack Kayil with 39th pick in 2026 NBA draft reports that New York used the 39th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to select German guard Jack Kayil. The Knicks first moved off pick No. 24 of the first round and then traded No. 31, the opening pick of the second round, to the Houston Rockets to receive selections Nos. 39 and 53 plus a 2029 second-round pick. Kayil, listed at 6-foot-5, committed to Gonzaga before skipping an NCAA season and entering the NBA draft this summer. He most recently played for Alba Berlin in the German Basketball Bundesliga and earned multiple honors, including 2026 Bundesliga Best Young Player and 2026 FIBA Champions League Best Young Player, with All-FIBA Champions League Second Team recognition. The team also selected him at Barclays Center on Wednesday. New York’s roster planning is affected by the owner’s directive to stay under the $220 million second apron, with about $14.5 million of room available.