NBA Insider: Kyle Filipowski's Workouts, Interviews 'Weren't Great' Amid Draft Slide
June 27, 2024
Duke center Kyle Filipowski wasn't selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft, with his performance in pre-draft workouts potentially a concern for front offices.
"The workouts weren't great, people tell me," ESPN's Jonathan Givony said on the latest edition of The Lowe Post podcast (1:15:15 mark). "There were question marks about the interviews. He was nervous. He didn't make shots at the pro day."
Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his sophomore season with the Blue Devils.
The 20-year-old also expanded his range in his second season at Duke, connecting on 34.8 percent of his threes while attempting 3.1 long-range shots each night. He shot 50.5 percent from the field overall, representing an increase from his 44.1 field goal percentage as a freshman.
His 2024 March Madness performance likely didn't do him any favors, as he averaged 11.0 points and 8.8 rebounds on 42.9/33.3/73.3 shooting splits in four NCAA Tournament games. Filipowski's wingspan was also shorter than his height at the NBA draft combine, which typically isn't a strong selling point for first-round prospects.
Still, his slide out of the first round confused Givony.
"It's hard to find a seven-footer like Kyle Filipowski who is this skilled," he said on Thursday. "Somebody needs to draft him very early in the second round."
Givony wasn't the only one perplexed by his fall, as Boston Celtics superstar and former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum claimed that a lot of teams would regret passing on Filipowski.
The center didn't have to wait too long to hear his name called on Day 2, as the Utah Jazz eventually selected him with the No. 32 overall pick. However, it appears that a poor performance in pre-draft workouts and interviews contributed to his second-round slide.