TheUtah Jazz have selected former Duke forward Kyle Filipowski No. 32 overall in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Filipowski finished his sophomore season averaging 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this past season, helping the Blue Devils reach the Elite 8.
Kyle Filipowski signed with Duke as a five-star prospect in the class of 2022. He was ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the country and the No. 1 power forward in the nation coming out of high school, according to the On3 Industry rankings.
Filipowski was immediately one of the best players on the Duke team in 2022-23 as he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and the ACC Tournament MVP. He is one of only four players in ACC history to earn those two honors in the same season.
As a freshman, Kyle Filipowski averaged 15.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, leading the Blue Devils in both categories. Continuing his success into his sophomore year, his second and final season at Duke saw Filipowski once again led Duke and both points and rebounds. Now he is off to the NBA where he will look to continue to be an impact player for his new group.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Kyle Filipowski
Many expected Filipowski to be one of the top picks whenever he was coming out of high school as a five-star recruit. While he ended up staying an extra year at Duke than anticipated, his new squad believes he’ll fit in nicely in their rotation next season.
On3’s James Fletcher had Filipowski as the No. 17 player on his Top-40 Big Board ahead of draft day.
“A seven-footer who can play both power forward and center, Filipowski seems like one of the safest picks in the 2024 NBA Draft among players widely projected to be in the lottery due to his high floor and elite basketball instincts,” according to RotoWire‘s profile of the former Duke standout. “He has an excellent assist rate, has proven to be a solid shooter with a range that stretches beyond the three-point line and owns a decent offensive game near the rim, where his efficiency plays at his best.
“There are question marks as to how he’d handle the league’s physicality, but he seems to have a strong enough frame since he’s a 248-pound seven-footer. He’s not the most athletic big man out there, but he compensates for the lack of athleticism with above-average passing and an ability to stretch the floor. Filipowski needs to improve defensively, particularly as a rim protector, and he’s an absolute liability from the free-throw line, but overall, the positives outweigh the negatives when determining his potential as a prospect.”
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