Jazz Big Man Kyle Filipowski Makes Case For Larger Role

Utah Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski has been one of the breakout stars of NBA Summer League, showcasing a polished offensive game that’s turning heads. And hey, who knows, possibly even reshaping Utah’s frontcourt plans.

Filipowski, the No. 31 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, averaged a Vegas-best 29.3 points in just 28.6 minutes per game over three outings before being shut down, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. He posted strong shooting splits of .561 from the field, .391 from deep and .625 from the line.

Larsen notes that the Jazz’s most-used starting lineup last season featured Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen and John Collins in the frontcourt. With Collins’ role potentially up for grabs, Filipowski’s recent play could make him a serious candidate to join the starting five this fall.

The 7-footer out of Duke is entering his second season and appears poised for a significant jump in opportunity, if not responsibility, heading into 2025–26.

Larsen went on to describe a notable Filipowski in a summer game.

“You also love to see the passion and emotion in Filipowski with a punctuating game-tying dunk,” Larsen wrote. “While it didn’t end up sealing the outcome, it was a huge play, and the confidence he showed there can translate. This is why Filipowski is still playing in summer league, for moments like that.

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