Fabian Kayser

PROFILE

ANGT Munich- January 2025
By Artau Pascual

Tall ball-handler with great size and frame. Embraced a leading role down the stretch. Kayser had his best games as a ball-handler with Real Madrid so far this season. Despite his burst is not a difference-making attribute, and he’s unable to produce consistently on the drive, Kayser ran the game through pick&roll actions and made simple, smart decisions attacking the closeout. He scored consistently from the three-point line against under coverages and found some good mid-range looks going right. Something that has stood out in Kayser’s game in the recent outings as well as in Munich is his improvements as a spot-up shooter: he looks more confident, and his mechanics are better than in Summer. Defensively, Kayser is a solid wing defender who can stay in front of similar-sized ball-handlers and switch if required. The hips are a bit slow to defend speedy players in wide spaces.

Torneig L'Hospitalet- December 2024
By Artau Pascual

Played a minimal role for Real Madrid this time. Physically, he’s struggling less than most of the U16 players that experience their first year in Spain. Great positional size. Spent most of the time playing as a secondary initiator, placed between 3 and 4 spots, given Real Madrid’s lack of depth in these positions. In his on-ball repetitions, he kept it simple and made the right reads for his team, even though something that stands out from him playing at U18 level is he needs screens all the time to create an advantage because of a lack of burst and advanced handles. Shooting form looks better, even though touch still has some ways to go. Hold his ground defensively, using his size and with a strong tactical sense.

U16 Torneo Villa de Iscar - December 2024
By Pietro Cristofori
 

Memorial Pascual Chulià- September 2024
By Artau Pascual

Took part in the event as one of the younger players. The Real Madrid U18 team doesn’t have him as the main ball-handler: he was a tertiary option for his team -built around scoring-minded guards- and most of his minutes were as a SF. Getting used to the physical demands will take some time for him, but he showed some fine glimpses of off the ball contribution, and his interaction with the game in a smaller role was good. He was also able to display his creativity in ball-screen actions, although he had a hard time creating separation with defenders.

FIBA U16 European Championship- August 2024
By Luka Drca

At just a year younger than many of his peers, Kayser stands out with his tall, long frame. While he is an average athlete overall, he possesses a solid vertical leap, though his explosiveness is somewhat questionable. Offensively, he is effective as a shooter off the dribble, demonstrating particular skill with mid-range pull-ups, especially in pick-and-roll scenarios. However, he struggles to beat defenders off the dribble and tends to play at a steady pace without much variation in rhythm. Around the rim, he displays versatility, using various techniques such as jump stops, up-and-unders, step-throughs, and floaters. Despite his adept finishing skills, he tends to avoid physical contact, which can limit his effectiveness in certain situations. Defensively, Kayser is decent and makes good use of his length, applying it effectively to alter and block shots. Overall, he is a talented tall point guard with strong shooting and finishing abilities, particularly in pick-and-roll situations. While he may not be overly explosive or physical, his length and versatile finishing skills compensate for these limitations. To increase his effectiveness, he needs to develop more aggressiveness and improve his ability to change pace.

FIBA U17 World Cup-July 2024
By Artau Pascual

Kayser was the best on-ball talent in the event excluding the US NT. Fringe 6’6-6’7 player with elite shot-creation skills who has already stated how well he can use his scoring gravity to act as an offensive engine for his team. He was able to pick shooting spots at will for some stretches against older competition, and he didn’t struggle to translate his offensive repertoire to the level of physicality of the event during the first games. Went through ups and downs and shooting results were inconsistent because he’s not used to carrying such a load of games. Unpredictable driver who can finish in the paint or the restricted area, and his drive and dish reads are always on point. Many ways to go on defense, but the German NT structure did not help him find an area where he could contribute and got exposed often. If it all goes well, he’s the player with the highest potential to be a primary offensive engine Europe has in the 2007-2009 generations.

Live review- June 2024
By Albert Juncà

Skilled guard with a good frame for his position. Good ball-handling skills to operate isolations or pick and roll situations. He has the ability to create his own pull-up or beat his man and drive to the basket. Off the ball, he has a good basketball IQ to fill spaces on the court to find the best spot to shoot spot-up threes or to attack the close-out. On the other side of the court, with his physical skills, he can switch with all the perimeter players and put pressure on the ball with high intensity. Off-ball, he shows smart readings to defend the gap and then recover to his man.

First impression- June 2023
By Artau Pascual

Long, skinny guard with high-level scoring ability. He has good fundamentals: in addition to a polished footwork bag, he has the ideal ball handling ability and physical foundation to create advantages in isolation. His shooting release looks clean, and he's a good space creator in stepbacks and sidesteps situations. He could gain more separation when putting the ball on the floor to attack off the dribble. Does nice reads as a live dribble passer and is fluid in transition. Does a good use of his length on defense and is light on feet to stay in front of guards.