WESTTOWN- Former Westtown resident Kyle Filipowski was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round (32nd overall) of the NBA draft on Thursday. Filipowski was projected to be a first-round pick but slipped into the second round.
“I feel like I ended up in the right spot, that’s what matters to me most,” Filipowski said on the Jazz’s website. “It doesn’t matter what pick I was, I’m just super excited because I feel like I was drafted to the right spot, and I’m looking forward to working with this organization.”
A 7-foot center, Filipowski played for the Minisink Valley High School basketball as a freshman in 2017. After one year at Minisink Valley, Filipowski transferred from Minisink Valley with stops at Fordham Prep, Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts, and Duke University, where he became an All-American.
Filipowski averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds as a sophomore for the Blue Devils this year. Leading into the draft, NBA draft projections have Filipowski being picked late in the first round. Filipowski was one of two players who was invited to the NBA’s green room for the first round on Wednesday but wasn’t selected.
“We came into today hoping to draft Kyle and were thrilled to do it,” Utah Assistant General Manager Shane Fenske said on the team’s website. “He’s a super versatile 7-footer who can impact winning and did so at a very successful Duke program. We think his versatility is a strength.”
