Is Kyle Filipowski a good defender? Taking a look at the Duke big man's defensive prowess
His most recent injury notwithstanding, Kyle Filipowski remains an integral part of the Duke Blue Devils as they head for the postseason this year. The sophomore big man out of Westtown, NY, has been leading his team in points per game (16.9) and FG percentage (an even 50%), and the Blue Devils have been reaping the rewards of him foregoing the NBA draft and returning to stay another season in Durham.
Everyone knows that Kyle Filipowski could score. But what about his defense?
Is Kyle Filipowski a good defender?
Just going by face value, one could say he's an "okay" defender. But his stats do not tell the full story of his impact on Duke on the defensive end.
For his career, Filipowski averages 1.2 steals, 1.1 blocks and 6.3 defensive rebounds per game. These do not jump out at anyone, as there are clearly far better numbers elsewhere in the NCAA. This doesn't mean that the sophomore center is bad on defense, though, as advanced stats have already shown a massive improvement for him--specifically in his rim protection (via FOX Sports).
Kyle Filipowski's block percentage during his freshman season was 2.8. This season, his percentage shot up to 6.1. This means that he's now blocking far more of his opponents' 2-point FG attempts than he used to last season.
As Duke's primary defender in the paint, he limits his opponents to around 45% shooting close to the basket (via Sports Illustrated). Compared to recently drafted elite rim protectors out of college like Chet Holmgren (12.6 block percentage, 35% shooting as primary paint defender), Filipowski's rim protection isn't too special. But it's also nothing to scoff at if you're looking at him as at least a backup rim protector in the NBA.
Defensive dropoffs for Kyle Filipowski
While Kyle Filipowski could certainly hold his own on defense down low, his expected weakness on this side of the ball is his perimeter defense--as expected for a big man.
Here are Jordan Monaco of SI's thoughts on Filipowski's defense scouting report from back in early January 2024:
"Filipowski moves his feet well on the perimeter defensively for someone his size. While he likely isn't a player who can contain guards on the perimeter consistently in the NBA, he's shown enough mobility to not be a liability in switch situations off of pick-and-rolls."
To cap things off, Filipowski has shown better effectiveness in show coverage compared to drop coverage on pick-and-rolls. His length and relatively good mobility allow him to cover a lot of ground on show coverage without having to rely on foot speed alone. And on the drop, he's exhibited a good tendency to know where to position himself between the ball handler and the roller.