Predicting if Kyle Filipowski Starts in Jazz G-League

Did the Utah Jazz strike gold in the second-round?

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 Utah Jazz rookies have been shining in this year's Summer League. First-round selections Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier have exceeded early expectations, but what about the second-round pick out of Duke, Kyle Filipowski? Once a projected first-round pick, Filipowski slipped to the second round to the rebuilding Jazz.

Usually, second-rounders spend most of their rookie campaign with the G-League, but Filipowski has a shot at cracking the rotation in his first year with a team still figuring it out. Filipowski offers a skill set that meshes well with this system in the five-out offense that the Jazz like to run.

Jazz CEO Danny Ainge also wants big men who can shoot the ball and spread the floor. In his 2023 postseason press conference, Ainge told Jazz fans what he's specifically looking for in rebuilding Utah's roster.

"I would say, maybe, shooting with size. There are a lot of different ways to win in this league. I would say shooting we can use."

Although Filipowski is not considered an elite shooter at this stage in his career, he has shown the ability to make deep shots. In his last season at Duke, he made 34.8% of his three-pointers, attempting 3.4 three-point shots per game. In Wednesday's 86-76 win over the Toronto Raptors, Filipowski had his best game as a pro, scoring 20 points while shooting 9-for-16 from the field.

Kyle Filipowski tonight

20 points
9/16 FG
2/3 3PT
7 rebounds
3 steals
pic.twitter.com/35nWtVLtrQ

— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) July 17, 2024

The Summer League provides only a small sample size, but Filipowski is giving Jazz fans a glimpse of why Utah drafted him in the second round. Jazz fans witnessed firsthand how losing Kelly Olynyk last season had a negative impact on winning. Filipowski's ceiling is developing into a similar player but more athletic.

Also, being selected by a franchise still searching for an identity bodes well for a player who wasn't a first-round pick. Filipowski touched on the opportunity in Salt Lake CIty in his introduction press conference.

"I'm just excited to be surrounded by these people. I think it's a great organization filled with a very welcoming set of group. It's a group that's ready to learn [and] ready to put in the time and energy, and I'm just excited to be part of that process with them."

So, will Filipowski start the year with the Jazz or the Salt Lake City Stars? Where it stands today, he's the fourth center on the depth chart behind John Collins, Walker Kessler, and Drew Eubanks. However, he has the versatility to play the power forward position, and there may be more minutes to take there.

Second-year Jazzman Taylor Hendricks is penciled in as the starter at the four, and Bryce Sensabaugh is listed as the backup. If Sensabaugh recovers from his finger injury, a stint with the Stars is the most likely outcome. If Hardy starts the season with a ten-man rotation, that would leave Filipowski on the outside looking in.

The path to live NBA reps will likely be similar to what Hendricks and Sensabaugh went through last year. That said, the young prospect's performance in this year's Summer League has been good so far, and we should expect to see him with the big club later in the season.

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