The next Blue Devil drafted is headed to Utah.
After waiting a day, 2023-24 Second Team All-American Kyle Filipowski was selected with the 32nd pick in the 2024 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. The Blue Devils’ leading scorer in each of the past two seasons, Filipowski will bring a versatile bag of offensive moves to the Jazz.
A five-star recruit out of Westtown, N.Y., Filipowski burst onto the scene as a freshman in Durham. He picked up a double-double in his first collegiate outing against Jacksonville, which ended up being a harbinger for his 16 double-double rookie campaign.
The best performance of the 2022-23 season for Filipowski was a toss up between two near-30-point games against Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh and a 20-point, 10-rebound showing in the ACC Championship game against Virginia. Throughout the season, Filipowski drew plenty of attention from opposing defenses while still turning in a relatively efficient 44% from the field.
That efficiency only increased for Filipowski as a sophomore, as he jumped to a 50.6% rate from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc. He scored at least 25 points seven times, including a career-high 30 against Georgia Tech. The big man also stepped up time and again defensively, as the Blue Devils needed him to play center regularly. This change took some adjustment for Filipowski — he struggled at times with foul trouble — but at his best he was able to shut down the area around the rim completely.
Filipowski’s shot from beyond the arc, while certainly well-above average for a 7-footer, never fully reached its potential at Duke, as he was streaky at times from deep. However, he continued to develop his stroke throughout his time in Durham and also improved his ability to make plays for his teammates. He nearly doubled his assist total from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and also cut down on his turnovers.
At the next level, Filipowski will need to continue to improve in these areas in order to see significant playing time. However, his presence at the rim as a shot-blocker and his capacity to shoot make him a dream prospect for Utah, and he will look to shine for the rebuilding squad.
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Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity junior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.