DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons announced tonight that the club has signed rookies Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Hayes, 6-5, 216, became the highest-drafted player ever from France after he was selected seventh overall by the Pistons in the 2020 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 25.1 minutes through 20 games while playing for ratiopharm Ulm in Germany’s top league (BBL) a season ago. Hayes led all players under age 22 in scoring and assists in both the EuroCup league and German BBL this past season.
Prior to playing in Germany, the 19-year-old competed professionally in France for Cholet’s senior team from 2017-19. Hayes was born in Lakeland, Fla., before moving to France. The seventh overall selection marked the Pistons highest pick in the draft since 2010 and tied the franchise’s fourth-highest pick in any draft since 1981.
Stewart, 6-9, 250, was selected No. 16 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft after playing one season collegiately for Washington. He was acquired via trade with Houston on Nov. 27. Stewart recorded clips of 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game over 32 games during his freshman campaign.
Originally from Rochester, N.Y., Stewart was the Pac-12’s leading freshman scorer and rebounder and ranked third in the conference in both rebounds and blocks per game. Stewart was named to both the 2019-20 All-Pac 12 First Team and All-Freshman Team. In high school, Stewart was the 2018-19 Naismith High School National Player of the Year and was a 2018-19 McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American.
Bey, 6-8, 215, was taken with the 19th selection of the 2020 NBA Draft after playing for Villanova for two seasons and arrived in Detroit following a three-team trade involving the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 19. Bey finished his sophomore campaign with averages of 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 33.9 minutes through 31 games. He shot .451 from distance a season ago, marking the fourth-highest 3-point shooting percentage in the nation.
Bey was named a 2019-20 Honorable Mention AP All-American and unanimous All-Big East First Team selection. He was a Top-15 finalist for the 2019-20 John Wooden Award and was the winner of the 2019-20 Julius Erving Award, recognizing the nation’s top small forward. The Charlotte, N.C. native was also selected to the 2018-19 Big East All-Freshman team.
Lee, 6-2, 183, was drafted with the 38th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft following three seasons at Vanderbilt. He was acquired via trade with Utah on Nov. 18. He played in all 96 of Vanderbilt’s games over the last three years, averaging double-figure scoring every season before tallying a team-high 18.6 points per game as a junior.
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