Raptors Draft Watch: Kyle Filipowski’s stylistic fit

19/06/2024 Raymond Basketball 0

Kyle Filipowski is a consensus five-star recruit and ranks among the top 10 high school players in the 2022 class, outperforming notable players such as Brandon Miller, Gradey Dick, and GG Jackson. While his two-year stint at Duke has proven his NBA potential, it hasn’t been sufficient to keep him within the lottery pick range.

By the 19th pick, Filipowski might not be the top prospect available, but he could be the best fit for the team selecting at that spot. If he falls to the Raptors’ 31st pick, they should not hesitate to draft him, as he would be a significant steal in that range.

**Why Kyle?**

Kyle Filipowski is arguably the most skilled big man in this draft. He’s one of the few bigs who could develop into the dribble/pass/shoot archetype, a rare combination typically found in the top half of the lottery. His perceived weaknesses have caused his value to drop to the latter part of the first round. However, with the right team, his versatile skill set could be transformative.

Filipowski’s offensive versatility is particularly intriguing. While his perimeter shooting is still developing, he shows potential to become a decent threat from outside. He has a good touch in the mid-range and can finish with either hand around the basket. His ball-handling, misdirection, footwork, and spin moves enable him to face up in various situations, and he has shown flashes of a potential pull-up and step-back game. Filipowski’s footwork around the post and ability to finesse his way to the basket using his length and touch are notable. He also has the potential to excel in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations.

His passing ability based on reads is impressive. Although he sometimes makes overly ambitious passes leading to turnovers, he is capable of making simple, effective reads, such as timely kick-outs to open teammates. It is rare to see a big man execute passes based on court awareness, especially while on the move, highlighting Filipowski’s excellent offensive feel for the game.

Defensively, Filipowski is not projected to be a dominant rim protector like Yves Missi. He is more of a positional defender, relying on his intelligence, positioning, competitive spirit, and effort to compensate for his lack of strength and wingspan. His wingspan of -0.25 inches is unusual for a 6’10” player and, coupled with his lack of vertical explosion, makes it more noticeable. This brings to mind the 2015 draft when Frank Kaminsky, another 6’10” big with a negative wingspan, was selected by the Charlotte Hornets. However, Filipowski’s limitations might provide a “buy low” opportunity, especially if available at the 31st pick.

Filipowski underwent hip surgery last year to correct malformed hip joints, a procedure that should improve his flexibility and better prepare him for the NBA’s style of play. Having played on his newly corrected hips since December, there is potential for significant improvement as he adjusts to his body. At just 20 years old, Filipowski has ample room for growth and development.

Mock Drafts

Areas of Concern

My primary worry centers around the scenario where Kyle Filipowski might fall into the unfavorable category of being a tweener. There’s a real risk that he may struggle to excel as a reliable backup center while also lacking the necessary skills to effectively play power forward. During his tenure at Duke, particularly in matchups against smaller, more physical bigs, Filipowski often faced challenges. He could easily be displaced by smaller guards driving to the basket and initiating contact, highlighting vulnerabilities, especially if his perimeter shooting is off. Pairing him with another big like Derek Lively last season did not yield impressive results on either end of the court.

Filipowski’s ability to protect the rim is another area of concern, particularly until he gains more strength. It would be unwise for any team that drafts him to pit him against dominant centers like Joel Embiid, who can overpower him without much resistance due to Filipowski’s negative wingspan and limited vertical athleticism. His potential struggles are reminiscent of past ‘tweener’ bigs such as Luka Garza, Drew Timme, and others who, despite their skills, found it challenging to carve out consistent roles due to their positional ambiguity.

Raptors Fit

Masai Ujiri, President of the Toronto Raptors, faced difficulties finding a credible big man, which contributed to the decline of the team’s competitiveness following the “Run it back” era. Even with promising young additions like Christian Koloko, the core of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes couldn’t sustain their previous success. Ujiri’s challenge in finding a suitable big for players like Barnes mirrors the struggle of finding one for Siakam—a traditional big who lacks shooting ability and risks clogging the paint isn’t the right fit.

Kyle Filipowski represents a potential solution for the Raptors as they build around Scottie Barnes. He meets the basic criteria for a big man in today’s NBA landscape, showcasing coordination and fluidity for his size. His offensive versatility, including face-up moves, shooting, ball handling, passing, and finishing ability, offers promise. Crucially, under coach Darko Rajakovic’s tenure, Filipowski’s strengths could be maximized within the Raptors’ offensive system. His court vision, awareness, and decision-making, particularly in motion, align well with Rajakovic’s approach, which integrates big men into the team’s half-court offense.

While Filipowski may not reach the caliber of Nikola Jokic or Marc Gasol, he could potentially serve as a dependable playmaker akin to Nikola Vucevic, capable of executing plays and making intelligent reads. This adaptability makes him a promising fit for the Raptors’ evolving roster dynamics centered around Barnes and their future aspirations.