Jazz Select Duke’s Kyle Filipowski With 32nd Pick In 2024 NBA Draft
Jun 27, 2024, 2:34 PM | Updated: 4:13 pm
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 4: Kyle Filipowski #30 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts following a basket during the second half of the game against the NC State Wolfpack at PNC Arena on March 4, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Duke won 79-64. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz selected center Kyle Filipowski with the 32nd overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Filipowski attended college for two seasons at Duke University before being selected by the Jazz.
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Utah Jazz Select Duke’s Kyle Filipowski With 32nd Pick
Last season with the Blue Devils, Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 50/35/67 shooting splits.
In pre-draft interviews, Filipowski said that he modeled his game after Lauri Markkanen and Nikola Jokic.
Filipowski and the Blue Devils had an excellent year in 2023. They finished as the No. 9 team in the nation with a 27-9 record. Duke made it all the way to the Elite Eight before dropping to DJ Burns and NC State.
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With the 32nd pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Jazz select Kyle Filipowski ‼️‼️#TakeNote | @kylefilipowski pic.twitter.com/URRYemqYh7
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 27, 2024
About Kyle Filipowski
Kyle Filipowski is one of the more well-rounded offensive centers in this year’s draft combining terrific footwork, hands, court vision, and the basketball IQ to do all of the other things in an NBA system.
The Duke sophomore stuffed the stat sheet with 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game and knocked down a healthy 35 percent of his 3.1 three-point attempts per game.
Filipowski will quickly provide floor spacing as a passer, short roller, and three-point shooter in the NBA.
Wicked pass from Duke’s Kyle Filipowski. Super skilled, plays tough. Beginning to become a bit underrated in the 2024 NBA Draft class.pic.twitter.com/GMXXq5B0zV
— NBA Draft Dude 🤙 (@CoreyTulaba) May 23, 2024
Despite a decent 1.5 blocks per game average, Filipowski offers little in the way of rim protection and becomes a worse defender the closer he gets to the hoop.
While he moves his feet well defensively and records a high number of steals, he lacks strength and will get pushed around by stronger players at every position at the next level.
His height advantage that allowed him to score and rebound in college won’t have the same impact in the NBA, and until he gets stronger, he may have a tough time finding the floor.
The Jazz have one of the worst passing frontcourts in the NBA and Filipowski will immediately offer some of the same plusses Kelly Olynyk brought to the team before the February trade deadline.
Filipowski lacks enormous upside due to his average size and strength but could be a valuable contributor in any rotation if he fine-tunes his physique and jump shot.
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