Kyle Filipowski 2024 NBA Draft Profile
I just reviewed the 2024 NBA Draft Profile for Jared McCain. Now we’re doing his teammate at Duke, Kyle Filipowski. We’re going over anything and everything you need to know about the Blue Devils big man.
Height: 7’0″ (6’10.5″ wingspan, 8’11″ standing reach)
Weight: 229.8
Age: 20 but turns 21 in November
Position: PF/C
Filipowski, a Wilbraham, MA native, played two years at Duke for the Blue Devils. He would have been a first round pick last year but came back to school and improved upon most of his numbers. The talent has been obvious for a while as Filipowski was rated as a five star player and the number four overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle.
As a sophomore for Duke, Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game across 36 contests. He also shot 50.5% from the floor, 34.8% from 3, and 67.1% from the strip.
Strengths:
Filipowski is a modern big and those guys just don’t grow on trees. It’s hard to find 7-footers that hit their attempts from the outside. Guys like that just have a trickle-down effect on the entire team. He spaces the floor and he’s someone you have to at least guard from distance.
Can we call him the Bambi version of Kristaps Porzingis? Maybe better yet the pre-developed version of Lauri Markkanen? You have to account for him outside; it changes the game’s entire complexion. He’s also a plus in post-up situations against switches scoring the basketball.
Filipowski isn’t an uncoordinated big either. He has a real handle when dribbling. He’s not grease lightning type of athlete but he’s really nimble and picks his spots. He’s finished his fair share of dunks and can score inside the paint. He’s got nice footwork and usually makes the right play. He’s got a keen eye to be a playmaker and isn’t one of these bigs who is a total goof with the ball in his hands.
The defense is also underrated here. Calling Filipowski a pure rim protector isn’t accurate but he does affect the opponent’s shot. As the primary paint defender, the big man from Duke posted a 7.5 block percentage and opponents are only finishing 45% of their attempts at the rim.
Weaknesses:
The lack of length is concerning. Filipowski did his job defensively in college but will it hold up at the NBA level? He’s not overly fast and I’m not sure he’s super strong either. He’s also a rare breed in the sense that he has a negative wingspan compared to most prospects entering the NBA. He doesn’t have a ton of length and he might be a zero in terms of rim protection. He could be a liability in space as a drop defender. He’s not exactly the most fleet of foot.
The free throw numbers are also concerning. He was a threat from outside in college but will that hold up at the pro level? How good of a pure shooter is he? The free throw percentage isn’t where it needs to be and if he’s not hitting consistent shots, he’s far less valuable.
Projection: Middle To Late First Round
I am a fan of Kyle Filipowski. Count me in here. Maybe he doesn’t light the world on fire as a two way player but his scoring upside can’t be ignored. If he can really develop as a threat from distance, it’s hard to not like his potential as a stretch big.
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