Explaining why top prospect Duke star Kyle Filipowski may fall in the 2024 NBA Draft

What is going on with Kyle Filipowski right now?

Every year, there are players expected to hear his name called early in the draft but who fall lower than initially anticipated. One of the players in the 2024 NBA Draft who could deal with such a slide is Kyle Filipowski.

Filipowski, who was ACC Rookie of the Year and MVP of his conference tournament as a freshman, opted to return to the Duke Blue Devils for his sophomore season. After his first collegiate campaign, he elected to have hip surgery.

He then debuted as the predicted No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on HoopsHype’s Aggregate Mock Draft last September and remained a lottery projection in January 2024. Just a few months ago in March, he had risen as high as No. 9 overall.

Filipowski, who recently had a fantastic interview with For The Win, is widely considered as one of the top players at his position in this class. After averaging 16.4 points with 8.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last year as a sophomore, he was named as a consensus second-team All-American.

So why do many feel that his draft stock is sliding? Here are some of the latest reports.

Athleticism

Jonathan Wasserman (via Bleacher Report): “Measurements and athletic testing results from the NBA combine won’t do Kyle Filipowski any favors. With shoes on, (6’10.75″ in socks), he’ll wind up with a negative wingspan (6’10.5″). And he finished in the bottom half of the foot speed and leaping tests. His draft stock has mostly remained unchanged for the past few months, though pre-draft risers could push him down boards.”

Other measurements

Kevin Pelton (via ESPN): “Filipowski’s wingspan (6-10½) measured shorter than his barefoot height (6-10¾) at the combine, a rarity for any NBA player but particularly a big man. In the NBA’s database, there have been three first-round picks as tall as Filipowski with a so-called negative wingspan: Frank Kaminsky, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee.”

Defense

College head coach No. 1, to David Aldridge (via The Athletic): “I think he’s a good player. My big thing for him, for that league, is: What position? Where he struggled this year was when he played against bigger guys – not necessarily height, but guys who had the physicality to stand up to him. He didn’t have Lively this year so he wound up playing the five. Offensively, he can shoot it, he can put it on the floor, and I was really impressed with his passing this year. He showed that. But the defensive part is the part that would concern me. One of them dudes is gonna knock the s— out of him, and what is he gonna do then?”

Other players are rising

Krysten Peek (via Yahoo): “Filipowski falling in the first round doesn’t necessarily reflect his body of work, but that other players have higher ceilings and are rising after workouts and team meetings.”

Filipowski could wait a bit longer than he would like to actually hear his name called in the 2024 NBA Draft. But perhaps that leads to him ending up in a winning situation on more of a contending team picking later in the first round.