Will Hardy Raves About Exciting Trait of Jazz Rookie Kyle Filipowski

It seems like the Utah Jazz got a steal with their second-round pick of this summer.

Oct 7, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets guard Nate Hinton (41) goes to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz made out well during this summer's 2024 NBA Draft, as they escaped this year's class with three appealing prospects in the top 32 picks of the board, one of those selections being Duke big man Kyle Filipowski at the top end of the second round.

Filipowski was a prospect with lottery pick potential entering the first night of the draft before ultimately slipping into the hands of the Jazz on day two at 32nd overall. And while it's extremely early in his rookie campaign, Utah head coach Will Hardy has already loved what he's seen out of the 20-year-old through preseason and training camp.

After the Jazz's second preseason victory vs. the Houston Rockets, Hardy dove into what he's seen out of Filipowski in his early reps, noting some impressive plays in practice, along with a brain that "excites" the third-year head coach.

"Kyle's brain excites me," Hardy said. "He's really smart. He sees and understands quickly. His size makes him a dangerous passer. Moving through the first part of this year, one of the big focuses for Kyle will be the consistency of his shooting... He seems to make one or two plays every day at practice that are a little eye-opening but also don't feel like a one-off. If he can continue to tighten up some of the shooting-- make it a little more consistent... he's going to be just fine."

With an appealing frame and a high basketball IQ, Filipowski can easily find a route to becoming a notable part of this Jazz rotation for years to come, especially on the offensive end.

During Kelly Olynyk's time in Utah, we saw his effectiveness as a playmaker and piece on the offensive side of the ball in both the first and second unit, and it almost seems as if Hardy is looking to mold his new rookie-- who possesses a comparable size and skillset-- into a similar role.

Throughout his first year pro, it looks like the Jazz will hone in on Filipowski's shooting ability and consistency to form him into a more reliable offensive option. The Duke product has proven to have potential as a shooter from deep but shot a combined 31.4% from three during his time with the Blue Devils. If he can shore up that side of his game, this pick will continue to look like a home run the further he gets comfortable within this system.

Filipowski and the Jazz will face off in their first road preseason game of the year on Thursday when the team travels to take on the Dallas Mavericks to try and start 3-0 in their preliminary matchups.

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