We now have been informed very clearly that this Utah Jazz season is firmly targeted on improvement, and extra particularly on the event of the youthful gamers on the roster.
Since that is the case, it is sensible to examine in a number of instances all through the season to see how all the kids are doing. We’re 11 video games into the 2024-25 season, and I can let you know with certainty that Kyle Filipowski has blossomed and appears extra NBA-ready than most rookies.
Earlier than the Jazz’s coaching camp even began this season, after solely seeing Filipowski throughout non-compulsory runs across the fitness center, Jordan Clarkson was already very excessive on the rookie and went to defend him throughout media day when We requested him what he had seen from the Jazz. three 2024 picks.
“I’m able to play for this one,” Clarkson stated, shaking his head in disbelief. “Flip is de facto gifted. He’s actually excellent. The truth that he was doing a bit for another person was what stood out greater than something, and I used to be like, “Yo.”
“His taking pictures kind and every part is unbelievable. The truth that he places the ball on the ground and breaks the protection after which makes the go is one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than… (the rookies) are all gifted in their very own means, however Flip, proper now, if you happen to stated, “Put him in a jersey and put him within the sport,” yeah, we’ll go to struggle with him, that is for certain. He is prepared.
That is excessive reward from somebody who has solely seen Filipowski in some unofficial scrimmages, and by Filipowski’s personal admission, he struggled throughout Summer season League with tempo and overthinking the sport.
However Clarkson was the one with the within monitor on this. He noticed flashes of what everybody noticed in the previous couple of video games with the Jazz.
Filipowski has been a daily within the Jazz rotation for seven video games this season (this excludes video games the place he solely performed pointless minutes), and in these seven video games he’s averaging 10.4 factors, six rebounds and a pair of.1 assists.
He did precisely what Clarkson stated he might do. At practically 7 toes tall, he’s a tall playmaker who can stretch the ground, he has glorious taking pictures kind and can be dependable with the ball in his arms. He held off Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic on the defensive finish and by no means regarded rattled offensively.
That is all as a result of the Jazz have handled some fairly severe accidents this season which have compelled gamers similar to Filipowski and John Collins to modify between heart and energy ahead. As a result of the defensive tasks of those two roles are so completely different, Filipowski’s efforts had been seen by each his teammates and the teaching workers.
Though Filipowski was primarily not a part of the Jazz’s rotation to begin the season, Taylor Hendricks’ season-ending harm considerably altered the rotations and pushed Filipowski right into a extra common function. Since then, he has primarily slotted himself into the beginning lineup, taking Cody Williams’ place within the beginning unit on Thursday because the Jazz confronted Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
“I feel Kyle’s protection was much more spectacular tonight than his offense,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy stated after the Jazz’s win over the Mavericks.
“I feel Doncic picked him so much to isolate, and I believed Kyle was improbable. Luka is without doubt one of the hardest gamers within the league to protect in isolation, and I believed Kyle did a very good job of shifting his toes, utilizing his physique, getting ready for contact and never neglecting his arms and making errors.
One of many causes Filipowski stood out is as a result of he does all of the little issues within the NBA properly. He is a fast choice maker, he units good screens, and you’ll belief him as a scorer, whether or not in pick-and-pop, rolling, or spot-up conditions for 3, and when he is not scoring , he is a superb playmaker.
The Jazz had been by no means anticipated to make good on all of their draft picks. That is simply not how the NBA world works. As a substitute, they’re looking for a number of younger gamers that they’ll actually put money into and who could be a part of the workforce’s future and the early returns on Filipowski have been very promising.
How are the opposite younger gamers on the roster doing?
Effectively, as talked about above, Filipowski appears to outperform Williams attributable to his offensive manufacturing and defensive versatility. Williams has proven some flashes of being defender, however has additionally had instances the place he simply is not robust sufficient to deal with among the extra bodily gamers he faces.
Walker Kessler had a very improbable season, despite the fact that he was out a number of video games with a hip harm. Hendricks will clearly miss the remainder of the season, despite the fact that his first few video games earlier than this harm had been extremely promising.
Keyonte George has had a very rocky begin to the season on either side of the ball. It can take a bit extra time to see if a few of his taking pictures and passing numbers can stability out after a tough patch early within the yr.
Brice Sensabaugh has had two DNPs within the final three video games and there are nonetheless numerous query marks surrounding Isaiah Collier. As for Collier, the USC product clearly has superpowers with regards to pacing and establishing as a degree guard, however he is 0 of seven from 3-point vary this season and is taking pictures 25 % from the road free throws. .
We have seen too many examples of any such participant within the NBA to disregard the photographs. To be frank, you merely cannot be a degree guard within the NBA if the protection does not respect you on the perimeter, in order that a part of his sport actually wants to alter.
