Kyle Filipowski remains atop On3's 2022 basketball rankings

Five-star power forward Kyle Filipowski overtook the No. 1 spot in On3’s Class of 2022 basketball rankings during our last update. The move brought stability to the pole position that had previously been like a revolving door. Emoni Bates, Jalen Duren and Shaedon Sharpe previously held the No. 1 position in this class. Each player classified up to 2021, leaving the position vacant.

In April of 2021, Filipowski did not rank among the top 100 players in the country. Despite winning the MVP of the NEPSAC AA championships as a sophomore, his entire junior season was wiped out due to COVID-19.

Kyle Filipowski, who is signed with Duke, led his NY Renaissance AAU squad to a 7-1 record, averaging 13 points, 8.2 rebounds, and almost 4 assists per game. He shot 58.2% from the field and 46.2% from 3-point range for the week. The depth of the NY Renaissance mixed with their average double-figure win margin had Filipowski putting up these numbers in only 20 minutes per game.

Filipowski missed the second session of Peach Jam because of COVID protocols. COVID protocols kept him out of the NBPA Top 100 camp as well. Even with the missed time, Filipowski’s play through the summer left no doubt he should be the No. 1 player after Sharpe re-classified to attend Kentucky.

Filipowski got an entire high school season this year. A consensus top-10 player now, he led his Wilbraham and Monson team to a 24-3 record. Filipowski averaged 19.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He won the Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year award, was named the NEPSAC AA Tournament MVP and was first-team All-NEPSAC.

Kyle Filipowski’s game is special

There is a lot to like about the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Kyle Filipowski’s game. However, the two parts of his game that set him apart are his passing and competitiveness. Filipowski has a unique ability to see the floor and deliver pinpoint passes to his teammates. He is comfortable pushing the break with pace or bringing the ball up the floor to get his team into sets.

The NY Renaissance and Wilbraham and Monson would run much of their offense through Filipowski. He often would bring the ball up the floor; others he would set up all over the half-court and have actions run off him. He can deliver the pass just as much as he can see the angle.

Thre is a fire that runs deep within Filipowski. You see it in every part of his game — on both ends of the floor — in everything he does. While he is one of the nicest, most respectable young men off the floor, the will to win runs deep.

Why Filipowski picked Duke

Kyle Filipowski signed with Duke during the early signing period. He committed to the Blue Devils in July of 2021 over a final group that included Ohio State, Indiana, Syracuse and Iowa.

“During the recruiting process, I would make lists of my top 10 and stuff every few weeks,” he said. “It would always change based on my relationships with schools and everything. Duke wasn’t even really up there for the beginning of the process for me. So, once I got the offer, I was not thinking I was definitely going there.

“The vision I had with coach (Jon) Scheyer was aligned. The atmosphere they have is the best in the country. Their motto is ‘Duke is built for players, by the players.’ Everything they do is for the betterment of the players.

“I think Dereck (Lively) and I will be the best frontcourt in the country. I know how to play alongside a big who can stretch it out and intertwine high-low combinations. He and I have talked about it a lot, and we both know what we are each capable of. I think we will shock the country when we show everyone what we can do.”