Kayil shines at Alba: career best despite bad luck with the DBB nomination!

Kayil shines at Alba: career best despite bad luck with the DBB nomination!

Jack Kayil, the talented young point guard from ALBA Berlin, is currently causing a stir in German basketball. On November 18, 2025, the 19-year-old did not receive an invitation for the German Basketball Federation (DBB) World Cup qualification. This was decided by national coach Alex Mumbru. Regardless of this decision, Kayil showed in the cup quarter-final against Science City Jena that he has the potential to shine big in the first division. With 18 points, he was one of his team's top scorers and helped ALBA Berlin to a convincing 91:78 victory.

“I wasn’t surprised about the nomination,” said Kayil after the game. “There was good communication.” This statement reflects his calmness. Nevertheless, he hopes that a subsequent nomination by Mumbru may be in the offing. In the exciting game against Jena, Kayil increased his performance with an impressive third quarter in which ALBA went on a 27:6 run. Particularly noteworthy: For Kayil, the game was not only an important contribution to the team, but also the moment in which he set his personal career best.

Career path and achievements

Kayil, who is 191 cm tall and weighs 79 kg, has a promising basketball history. Before moving to ALBA Berlin, he played for BC Mega MIS Beograd in the Serbian KLS league, where he averaged 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 18 games. His performance at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in the 2023-24 season is further proof of his talent. There, Kayil was able to put up an impressive 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game in three games.

ALBA Berlin has signed a contract with Kayil for the upcoming 2025-26 season, relying on the young German player who has also played for the national team. After being a member of the German national program for several years, he has played regularly for the senior national team since 2024. A highlight of his young career was taking part in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament, where he helped Germany with his solid statistics.

Basketball in Germany

Basketball is becoming increasingly popular in Germany. 13 million people, around 19% of the population, show interest in this sport. The Bundesliga achieved a remarkable increase in viewer numbers with an average audience of 4,836 per game in the 2023/2024 season. ALBA Berlin's win against Jena not only brings the team closer to a top four participation, but also helps to further promote interest in basketball.

What’s next for Kayil? His achievements could soon attract attention not only domestically but also in international competitions. It remains to be seen whether they will be nominated for World Cup qualification. However, one thing is certain: Kayil has the potential to play a key role in German basketball and to continue building his career.

The coming weeks will be exciting for ALBA Berlin as well as for Jack Kayil himself. The team is looking forward to the challenges of the league with confidence and hopes that their young talents, like Kayil, will deliver even more impressive performances in the near future.