Kyle Filipowski was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the 32nd overall pick. He is 7’0” tall and weighs 248 pounds. In his sophomore season with Duke he averaged 16.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals. He lead the team in each of those categories except for assists. Filipowski shot 50.5% from the field and 34.8% from three. The three point shooting he showed in his sophomore year was much improved from his freshman year where he shot 28.2% from three.
The concerns on Filipowski come from whether his shooting numbers will continue to trend upward, or if he will regress to a 30% three point shooter in the NBA, as well as some concerns over his athleticism. He is not a particularly explosive athlete, although he can defend decently well on the perimeter and he uses his length well to defend the rim. If Filipowski can shoot and pass at a high rate he could play a role similar to the role Kelly Olynyk played for the Jazz in the first half of the 2023-2024 season. Jazz fans are very familiar with the value of a glue guy that can set up his teammates and knock down shots.
Leading up to the 2024 draft, Kyle Filipowski was mocked to go considerably higher than the 32nd overall pick, with most mock drafts having him in the late teens or early twenties. There is some speculation that he fell due to his situation with his family and the odd circumstances surrounding his relationship with his girlfriend, although stories of this nature of often overblown. His fall in the draft was more likely due to concerns over shooting and athleticism as stated above. It’s possible that he underperformed at workouts, and teams thought other players had more upside.
Nevertheless, Kyle Filipowski has the potential to be a serviceable NBA power forward. If he continues to improve his shooting, strength, and playmaking he could be a starter level player. The outcome will not be known for a few years, but the Utah Jazz took a swing on a skilled player with a big NBA ready body, which could turn out to be a big win if Filipowski lives up to his full potential.
Comments