One of the biggest surprises of the NBA Draft in late June was that Duke basketball forward Kyle Filipowski was not selected in the first round. Early projections had the All-American as a potential lottery pick, and most final evaluations expected the 7-footer to be drafted within the top 30 picks.
However, Filipowski ended up sliding to the 32nd overall pick, where he was selected by the Utah Jazz. On Monday night, the Jazz officially agreed to terms with the Duke standout, signing him to a 4-year, $12 million contract. This is the largest contract signed by a second-round pick in the last two years. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the first-year salary in Filipowski’s deal is equivalent to that of a mid-20s draft pick. Marks also noted that the Jazz used their remaining $3 million in salary cap space to finalize the deal.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the contract is fully guaranteed for the first two years, with the third year non-guaranteed and a team option for the fourth year. Filipowski was the last of the three draft picks by the Utah Jazz to sign his rookie contract.
During the NBA Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, Filipowski averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in 22.2 minutes per contest. His final game in Vegas included a standout performance with 26 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
In his sophomore season with the Blue Devils, Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.
It remains to be seen how much playing time Filipowski will receive in the NBA this season, but it’s clear that the Utah Jazz are committed to giving him every opportunity to prove he belongs in the league.
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