Jazz Rookie Kyle Filipowski Dominates in Utah's Win Against Trail Blazers

The Utah Jazz haven't had much to be optimistic about this season.

The team was 16-63 heading into Wednesday evening's contest against the Portland Trail Blazers, looking for a spark of hope from one of the team's young players. That's exactly what the Jazz got, too, as rookie center Kyle Filipowski led Utah to a 133-126 victory against Portland.

Filipowski's performance included 30 points, 18 rebounds, five assists three steals and a block in 34 minutes of action. The former Duke standout shot 13-of-17 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range in the win.

The double-double from Filipowski was enough to overcome 37 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals from Shaedon Sharpe, who has turned in multiple solid performances recently.

Kyle Filipowski 30-18-5-3-2, 13/17 FG pic.twitter.com/xTj6QZvVCT
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) April 10, 2025

The former Blue Devils' standout notched his strong showing against fellow rookie center Donovan Clingan, who played 27 minutes on Wednesday night. Filipowski and Clingan have put up similar numbers in their first professional seasons, but Filipowski got the better of Cligan in their recent matchup.

Of course, April basketball isn't always an indicator of future season-long trends, but Jazz fans have a reason to be excited heading into next year after Filipowski's huge outing. Additionally, Utah is likely going to land a premier selection in the upcoming NBA Draft, meaning the team will have an opportunity to add an elite talent alongside the other young players on the roster.

The Jazz also still boast All-Star Lauri Markkanen on the roster, and could have a solid core moving forward if Filipowski can consistently produce at a high level. In 70 games as a rookie, Filipowski is averaging 9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 35.6% from 3-point range.

Listed at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Filipowski was selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft following two impressive years at Duke. As a sophomore, Filipowski was named a consensus All-American after averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game in his final year with the Blue Devils.

A former 5-star recruit who had an impressive collegiate career, Filipowski's slide to the second round came as a surprise to many during the previous NBA Draft. The Jazz seem to have found a steal, though, as the rookie appears to be a solid NBA role player at just 21-years-old.

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