Kyle Filipowski Fuels Critics' Fire With Brutal Utah Summer League Performances

Kyle Filipowski has plenty of time to develop into a quality NBA player. Plenty of talented prospects have struggled with their first handful of summer league games.

That being said, Filipowski could not have gotten off to a worse start with the Utah Jazz. He surprisingly slid out of the first round with strange personal rumors swirling, but the former Duke star's first three games only fueled his critics' fire.

His weaknesses were on full display in his debut and while there were promising moments, it's clear Filipowski has a lot to work on before the Jazz start Las Vegas Summer League on Saturday.

Kyle Filipowski's Labors Through Rough Utah Summer League Performances

Through three games, Kyle Filipowski is 3/15 from the field (20%) and 0/9 from three-point range for six points with 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, five turnovers and seven fouls in 52 minutes. The Jazz were outscored by 26 with Filipowski on the floor.

He was often hesitant offensively and out of sorts on defense, getting pummeled in the paint by lottery pick Zach Edey and isolated on the perimeter by guys like March Madness legend Jack Gohlke.

On Wednesday night against the 76ers, Filipowski was blocked on a dunk attempt, badly bricked a three-pointer off the backboard, hesitated on an open corner three-pointer before promptly turning it over, hesitated again at the top of the key to cause a shot clock violation, and let a pass go right through his hands while rolling to the basket for another turnover.

That was all just in the first half.

He made only one of six shots with three fouls and two turnovers, though there were a few nice moments that illustrated what Filipowski could become with more seasoning.

While this was his only basket of the night, Filipowski's smooth move after getting the green light to initiate the offense at the top of the key got him an easy bucket. He didn't hesitate, which was a frequent problem this week.

Filipowski had a great defensive sequence in the fourth quarter as well with the game close, deflecting a pass for a steal and blocking a layup attempt before exiting for the night.

The bright spots were few and far between, though Filipowski was a Second-Team All-American for a reason. At this point, it looks like he'll need time in the G League to develop and reach his potential, especially if his three-point shot isn't falling.

Utah's coaching staff will likely prioritize decisive, aggressive play. Far too often Filipowski looked uncomfortable with the ball in his hands, a far cry from the excellent playmaking skills he showed as a Blue Devil.

Perhaps Filipowski's struggles are a sign of things to come, perhaps they're just the product of an adjustment period. Through three games, the results aren't pretty no matter how you look at it.

He'll get his next chance in Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.

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