Former Duke Blue Devil Kyle Filipowski is putting together a Summer League MVP-caliber campaign so far for the Utah Jazz, and his elite all-around play could put some serious pressure on the Jazz to turn him into a full-time starter once the NBA regular season rolls around. The former second-round draft choice has continued to blossom into one of the biggest steals of the 2024 NBA Draft, and Filipowski could be right on the cusp of going from second-round pick to NBA starter in just a year.
Filipowski is leading the Las Vegas Summer League in scoring at 29.3 points per game to go along with 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists on a fantastic 56.1% shooting from the field and 39.1% shooting from three-point range. The 6'11 big man has been an offensive machine throughout the Summer League from many different places on the floor.
The 21-year-old's play has been highlighted by two 30-point performances, most recently a 35-point and 11-rebound effort on July 14th against the San Antonio Spurs.
Filipowski was a regular member of the Jazz rotation as a rookie, despite being a second-round selection. He appeared in 72 games and started 27, averaging 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 21.1 minutes a night. Filipowski was a legitimate candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year towards the end of the regular season as his minutes continued to increase.
However, at this point, a young and rebuilding Utah squad may need to decide whether to put Filipowski in the starting lineup, which would likely send a former lottery pick by the franchise to the bench.
Taylor Hendricks, the No. 9 overall pick by the Jazz in the 2023 NBA Draft, missed almost all of the 2024 season with injury, but would probably be the starting four for Utah come next season. On the court, Hendricks hasn't looked extremely promising, and he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his two seasons as a pro, only appearing in 40 games in 2023 and three in 2024.
What could hold Filipowski back from being a full-time starter is his defensive struggles, as he doesn't quite have the athleticism to guard the one through three consistently. However, his offensive showing throughout the Summer League has put some pressure on the Jazz to at least implement him into the starting lineup and see his fit.
This also depends on where the Jazz decide to put Ace Bailey, the 2025 No. 5 overall draft choice, in the lineup. At 6'8, Bailey would likely be put at the two, but with the sheer guard depth that the Jazz have, moving Bailey to the four at 6'8 and playing smaller could be a possibility.
Utah has a crowded group of young guys all looking for minutes on this rebuilding squad, but Filipowski is making Will Hardy's job a lot tougher in terms of determining his starting five, given the stellar Summer League Filipowski is putting together.