Night one of the NBA draft didn’t go as planned for some.
Kyle Filipowski’s anticipation to hear his name called in the 2024 NBA Draft will have to extend another day, as the opening round concluded without his selection.
The former Duke standout spent Wednesday evening in the Barclays Center green room in Brooklyn, surrounded by friends and family, yet left unchosen after the 30 picks were announced.
The scene was a poignant one, captured in a brief three-second video posted by NBA reporter Darko Dželetovi?, which showed a visibly dejected Filipowski embracing a loved one.
This year, the NBA structured the draft as a two-day event, with the first round taking place in the high-profile setting of the Barclays Center and the second round relegated to ESPN’s TV studio.
Unfortunately, this means Filipowski will miss out on experiencing his draft moment on such a grand stage in person.
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During his two seasons at Duke, Filipowski was a standout performer, averaging 15.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Described by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor as a “versatile big with a guard’s finesse, playmaking vision, and perimeter shot,” he was ranked No. 35 in this year’s draft class. While not universally seen as a first-round certainty, there was speculation among experts that he might be picked later in the first round. Notably, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had projected him as the No. 24 pick in his final mock draft.
The first round closed with the Boston Celtics opting for Creighton forward Baylor Scheierman at the No. 30 slot. Jayson Tatum, a fellow Duke alum and star for the Celtics, remarked that teams would “regret” passing over Filipowski.
Looking forward to Thursday’s second round, Filipowski is listed by ESPN as the second-best player still available, just behind Kansas guard Johnny Furphy. With the draft resuming at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, hopes remain high that Filipowski will soon find his NBA home, albeit without the immediate fanfare of a Barclays Center selection.
