Utah Jazz Challenging Kyle Filipowski to Be More Than a Shooter

The Utah Jazz, while coming up short in their latest 101-131 blowout loss to the OKC Thunder, were able to see some good things out of second-year big man Kyle Filipowski.

Upon his elevation to the starting five with Lauri Markkanen sidelined due to injury, Filipowski wound up leading the Jazz in scoring with 21 points on 10-14 shooting from the field, paired with 10 total rebounds, two assists, and three steals en route to one of the better performances of his season so far.

For Hardy, it was a game that showed a bit more of Filipowski's full arsenal of skills, and proved that, while he's been able to prove himself as a big capable to stepping out to the three point line, has a game that can be much more impactful than just being a three-point shooter.

"If you watch him before he got to the NBA, Flip was a low-post player, for the most part; a skilled, low post player. But I think his size, his footwork, his ability to use his body, his ability to finish around the basket is something that's probably more natural for him," Hardy said after losing to the Thunder.

"That's why I've said before, that I think the three-point line can ruin people, and not just help them improve. I think a lot of that is because it strips away the rest of your game."

Will Hardy Looking to Kyle Filipowski to Use Three-Point Line Wisely

Dec 7, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) prepares to shoot as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) defends during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Of course, with an ability to stretch out and space the floor, it's an extra dose of versatility to add in the lineup that Hardy certainly won't neglect when drawing up his fit offensively. He's still shooting nearly three three-pointers a night in just under 23 minutes, so it's clear he's not holding down his big man from taking an open shot.

But expanding his role beyond being just a one-trick pony as a stretch big will be critical for Filipowski to reach his ceiling offensively.

"I obviously want Flip to shoot some threes, because he's worked really hard at it, but I don't want that to become his identity, because there are so many other things that he can do. Tonight [against OKC] was a good example of that. Like, that's a hard team to score on in the paint. And Flip's physicality really helps us."

So far this season, Filipowski has stepped up to be a quality contributor, whether it be in the starting five or the second unit in his sophomore campaign in Utah, proving he was more than worthy of his day two selection in the summer of 2024.

As long as he can keep presenting that offensive versatility as a scorer and a playmaker for others, he'll keep finding minutes in the rotation moving forward.

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