Kyle Filipowski's Glaring Weaknesses on Full Display in NBA Summer League Debut

Kyle Filipowski had a summer league debut to forget as the Utah Jazz pulled off a narrow 97-95 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

After falling to the second round of the NBA Draft amid bizarre personal rumors despite speculation he could be a lottery pick, Filipowski did little to show he was overlooked. The former Duke star played 17 minutes and was the only Utah player held scoreless, going 0/4 with every shot coming from beyond the arc as he was bullied down low and forced to stick on the perimeter.

Scouts' biggest knock coming into the draft was his physicality and struggles against NBA-level big men, so this first game went about as poorly as it could've.

Kyle Filipowski Struggles, Gets Bullied in First NBA Summer League Game

Zach Edey is a monster of a man. He's not easy for anyone to defend, but a simple, effective box out would've ended the contest in regulation. Filipowski was outmuscled as Edey tied the game. That play left questions about Filipowski's long-term fit as a rim protector at the professional level.

This wasn't a case of a bad bounce going Edey's way, either. Edey is notoriously slow and that he was so effortlessly able to beat Filipowski to the spot adds fuel to the critics' fire.

Similar to how NC State star DJ Burns manhandled him in the Elite Eight en route to 29 points, Filipowski offered little resistance to his more physical opponents. At 6'11" and nearly 250 LBs, Filipowski has to be able to either space the floor or protect the rim to stay on the floor.

He did neither against the Grizzlies.

That's not to say everything was bad though. He made a couple of slick passes after driving the lane, showcasing his playmaking ability after initiating the offense at the top of the key.

It's easy to imagine Filipowski maneuvering around slower defenders and passing it to open teammates when the defense collapses. But those lanes get smaller if he's not knocking down three-pointers. However, if the shot is falling? Filipowski transforms into the player who was a Second-Team All-American this year.

The upside is obvious, but the glaring weaknesses were on full display. He simply must become stronger or more physical, otherwise he'll need to share the court with a traditional rim protector to avoid being targeted defensively.

If there's another big man on the floor, Filipowski's driving lanes shrink considerably. But to reach his offensive ceiling, he must be Utah's biggest player on the court.

One thing you never want to be called in the NBA is "soft" as a big man. Unfortunately for Filipowski, he's got work to do to shed that label. It's not time to panic. But flatly, this was a discouraging start.

Filipowski will get his next opportunity Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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