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Highly-touted German guard becomes Gonzaga's first commitment in 2026 class

Originally posted on Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI
By Cole Forsman | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 12:48 PM ET

Ahead of the public's first glimpses at the new-look roster Gonzaga has constructed for the 2025-26 season, the Bulldogs' recruiting class for the following year began to take shape.

Mark Few and company's first commitment in their 2026 class came on Wednesday via Jack Kayil, a 19-year-old guard from Germany with experience playing in FIBA and other international competitions.

Kayil's agent, Milan Nikolic, informed DraftExpress of the 6-foot-5 Berlin native's decision to move to the States on Wednesday. Kayil, considered among the top international guards pursuing the U.S. college route, will also keep his 2026 NBA Draft options open, according to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony. He's currently projected as a potential second-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NBA Draft on nbadraftroom.com.

Kayil's pledge to the Zags came a few months after he showcased his playmaking prowess in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland, helping Germany secure the silver medal while finishing with 6.6 assists per game, tied for second-most among all players at the event. He also averaged 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals across seven appearances.

Kayil had 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and five assists in Germany's loss in the gold medal game to a Team USA squad that featured some of the top college recruits in the country, including the 2025 class' top-ranked player, AJ Dybantsa, as well as Gonzaga recruiting target Tyran Stokes.

Kayil also suited up for the German national team in the 2025 Eurobasket Qualifiers, averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 assists in two games played.

NEWS: German guard Jack Kayil has committed to Gonzaga, agent Milan Nikolic told DraftExpress.

The 6’5, 19-year-old Alba Berlin product has been an annual FIBA junior-level standout, ranking among the top international guards pursuing the college route in 2026. pic.twitter.com/5YD3XDmFSQ
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) October 1, 2025

Kayil, who was recently loaned to ALBA Berlin after spending last season with KK Mega Basket (known as Mega Superbet for sponsorship reasons), is set to compete in the FIBA-sponsored Basketball Champions League this upcoming season. Organized by FIBA Europe, the league consists of the top European teams that qualified based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions.

KK Mega Basket is the same club team former Gonzaga standout Flip Petrusev played for following his collegiate career. Petrusev won the ABA MVP with the team as a 21-year-old after putting up 23.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Should Kayil make his way to Spokane next fall, he could form quite the backcourt tandem alongside another young and talented prospect from Europe in Mario Saint-Supery. The 19-year-old from Spain, who committed to the Zags this past offseason, joins the mix as a freshman following an impressive stint in the same EuroBasket that Kayil played in.

Gonzaga followers could see Saint-Supery and the rest of the squad in action for the first time on Saturday during the annual Kraziness in the Kennel event.