With their second-round pick on Thursday afternoon in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz got first-round value.
That’s because the Jazz selected Duke big man Kyle Filipowski with the No. 32 pick as the second round got underway, picking up one of the remaining players who most draft prognosticators saw being drafted on day one.
It meant a long wait for Filipowski, though — with the NBA Draft moving to a two-day format for the first time, the big man had to wait about 18 extra hours to hear his name called.
“There’s anxiety, of course. It’s hard to wait a long time and not hear your name called,” Filipowski said. “But to be honest, I’m just happy. I feel like I ended up in the right spot. That’s what matters.”
Filipowski was one of college basketball’s leading big scorers, putting up 16 points per game with the Blue Devils in his sophomore season. He’s very mobile with terrific footwork, getting into actions like pick and rolls and handoffs with ease. And his mobility means that he’s a really solid perimeter defender, but perhaps less impactful defensively inside than most near 7-footers.
Filipowski’s 3-point shot has also developed, as he grew from a 28% 3-point shooter as a freshman into a 34% shooter from deep as a sophomore.
“We’ve been able to see the shooting progression and we do think that that’s going to translate at the NBA level,” Jazz Vice President of Basketball Strategy Steven Schwartz said. “That’s a big part of who he is and what makes him such a versatile player, and we’re really excited to add his shooting to our program.”
If the package seems familiar, it should be — many compare Filipowski to former Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk. Filipowski, meanwhile, likes to compare himself to Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, though most would agree that comparison is more of a reach.
“It’s just how skillful he is, and how mobile and well he moves, that’s something I definitely try to model my game after,” Filipowski said. “Just being able to have this opportunity to play alongside him and learn from him every day, I’m super grateful for that.”
The Jazz see his skillset being able to play at two positions.
“I think the book on Kyle is yet to be written,” Jazz assistant general manager Shane Fenske said Thursday after the second round ended. “But we can see some lineups where he’s a five, some lineups where he’s a four. We think his versatility is his biggest strength.”
The team selected Colorado’s Cody Williams at No. 10 and USC’s Isaiah Collier at No. 29 Wednesday night. The Athletic also reported the Jazz were signing North Carolina big man Armando Bacot to an Exhibit 10 deal. All four players are expected to play in the Jazz’s summer league campaigns beginning in Salt Lake City on July 8.
