Duke basketball legend lands brother of Blue Devil commit

The Duke basketball program could one day see Filipowski versus Filipowski.

As things stand, it looks as if both Filipowski twins, who currently prowl the paint and beyond as seniors for Wilbraham & Monson (Mass.), will play their college ball under the direction of legendary Duke basketball guards from the past. Both plan to do so while attending a prestigious school.

And there’s at least a chance they’ll face one another as freshmen early in the 2022-23 season. That’s what Duke commit Kyle Filipowski must want to see, evidenced by his proud quote-tweet of his brother, Matt Filipowski, who announced his commitment to Harvard head coach and Blue Devil alum Tommy Amaker this week.

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“Proud of you twin,” Kyle Filipowksi wrote. “Gotta get that Duke Harvard game for next year.”

With Mike Krzyzewski set to retire in the spring, the Hall of Famer’s apprehension toward playing his former players and assistants should no longer apply in Durham. So with that in mind, perhaps the Duke Blue Devils will return to regularly facing the Harvard Crimson, as they did nine times between the 1980s and early 1990s.

Summarizing the Harvard and Duke basketball recruiting classes

In July, Kyle Filipowski became the first pledge for 2010 Blue Devil national champ Jon Scheyer in his new role as head coach-in-waiting. The 6-foot-11, 230-pound five-star currently ranks No. 8 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite.

Also in the Duke basketball recruiting haul so far are five-star center Dereck Lively (ranks No. 2), five-star small forward Dariq Whitehead (No. 5), and four-star shooting guard Jaden Schutt (No. 56).

Meanwhile, Matt Filipowski is unranked and unrated on 247Sports, but his offer sheet also included East Carolina and Pitt.

Regardless of rankings, or lack thereof, the 6-foot-11, 235-pounder is a solid, promising pickup for Tommy Amaker, who now consistently compiles recruiting classes that wind up among the top 100 in the nation. In addition to Matt Filipowski, he has a 2022 commitment from La Lumiere (Ind.) three-star power forward Chisom Okpara.

The 56-year-old Amaker is entering his 14th season at Harvard and 25th as a head coach, sporting a 427-278 overall record.

If Matt Filipowski should expect one thing as a future Crimson player, it’s that his head coach, the inaugural NABC Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, is sure to teach and expect complete defensive excellence.