Grading Jazz's No. 32 Overall Pick Kyle Filipowski

Another prospect slips to the Utah Jazz.

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) controls the ball against North Carolina State Wolfpack forward Mohamed Diarra (23) in the second half in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The momentum the Utah Jazz gained on Wednesday night kept rolling into Thursday afternoon. With the 32nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Jazz selected Kyle Filipowski, the All-American big man out of Duke. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Shockingly, he fell all the way down the board to the Jazz. Once thought of as a top-10 pick in this class, Filipowski sliding out of the first round, I’m sure, is a good surprise for Danny Ainge and colleagues. Let’s give this pick a grade and discuss what the Jazz are getting from Filipowski.

Physicals: 6’10.75 without shoes, 230 lbs, 6’10.5 wingspan, 20 years old.

Stats per game:16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, 50.5% FG, 34.8% 3P, 67.1% FT.

Filipowski was among the most productive and versatile big men in all college basketball the past two seasons. One of the most highly touted recruits coming out of high school, Flip delivered in his two seasons in Durham. His highly decorated NCAA career ended with consensus All-American honors.

Filipowski possesses a wide range of skills, which are rare for 7-footers. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the tin with fluidity and grace. He’ll immediately provide a unique scoring punch for a Jazz frontcourt that relies heavily on the playmaking of others to get good looks. Filipowski can create looks for himself by attacking the basket or as a post-up threat.

Filipowski has good hands and is a good finisher around the rim. He’s very comfortable with his back to the basket- a skill that the current Jazz roster mainly lacks from their usual rotation pieces.

The Utah Jazz select Kyle Filipowski with the 32nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/oPoCyCJ64M

— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) June 27, 2024

One area that excites me most about Flip is his ability to space the floor. After watching the Boston Celtics waltz to an NBA title with a 5-out offensive style, I’m very intrigued with how the Jazz offense can operate with Filipowski playing alongside Lauri Markkanen and Taylor Hendricks or John Collins. The shot is more theoretical than practical at this point with Filipowski, though- he shot just 31.4% from deep across the past two seasons, though that number climbed last year. Filipowski has a smooth shot with picturesque mechanics- I expect the results to continue improving.

Filipowski is also a very good passer. He processes the game at a high level and can make defenders pay for helping off of his teammates. The Jazz sorely need passers and ball movers up and down the roster- Filipowski provides just that.

Defensively, the knock against Filipowski is his lack of rim protection. In a traditional big-man sense, he lacks elite length and verticality around the rim. I believe these concerns were overblown- he slides his feet well for a big and is smart with defensive rotations and positioning. I don’t expect him ever to be an All-Defense candidate, but a solid team defender is within his grasp.

Overall, Filipowski’s inside-out versatility gives him a chance to be a matchup nightmare for opponents. He’s big, skilled with the ball, impacts the game in multiple ways offensively, and understands his defensive limitations. I’m excited to see how he fits into a talented Jazz frontcourt. Getting Filipowskiwith the 32nd pick is excellent value for a Jazz front office that knocked the 2024 class out of the ballpark.

Grade: A-

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