Duke basketball’s Kyle Filipowski, talks loss in ACC Tournament
Following Duke basketball’s loss to NC State at the ACC Tournament, Kyle Filipowski was among the Blue Devils to break down what went wrong.
Duke basketball’s Kyle Filipowski was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday in New York.
Filipowski, who received a green room invite as an expected first round pick, was taken No. 32 overall by the Jazz.
Filipowski averaged 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds across two seasons with the Blue Devils, starting each of Duke’s 72 games in that stretch. The 7-footer finished with 25 double-double performances and was a 31.4% shooter from beyond the arc.
The ACC Tournament MVP as a freshman in 2023, Filipowski’s best game came in a win against Georgia Tech last season. With the Blue Devils missing two starters due to injuries, Filipowski scored 30 points — including four 3-pointers — and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Here’s what Filipowski can bring to the NBA.
It’s not easy to find a 7-footer who can dribble, shoot and pass. A true triple threat, Filipowski’s versatility and height make him an intriguing prospect in the current landscape of the league as bigger players lean on their guard skills. As a sophomore, Filipowski made 34.8% of his 3-pointers and had 10 games with multiple treys. He also went from 56 assists as a freshman to 100 as a sophomore.
Physicality is at the center of any concerns when it comes to Filipowski, who often struggled to finish through contact and over taller defenders. Hip surgery ahead of his sophomore season opened things up for him, but he’ll need to continue adding bulk to his frame. Filipowski also has a tendency to get careless with the ball at times, so he’ll need to eliminate those live-ball turnovers.
As stated above, 7-footers with the ability to shoot, pass and dribble are always an asset in the NBA. Filipowski has the skill to be a weapon in pick-and-roll actions because of his offensive versatility. If he can continue to develop his body, Filipowski has a chance to make a lot of teams wish they had made him a priority in the first round.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
