Kyle Filipowski take over the No. 1 spot in the 2022 class

On3 unanimously voted Kyle Filipowski as the No. 1 player in the 2022 class. The discussion was quick, it was clean, and then we moved on to the next 149 spots in the ranking.

Over the last year, the 2022 class has had a revolving door at the top spot. Emoni Bates, Jalen Duren, and Shaedon Sharpe all spent their time at the top, only to classify up and enter college early. Now, it is Filipowski’s turn.

Despite being named MVP of the NEPSAC AA as a sophomore, Filipowski went through his junior season mostly ranked outside the Top 50. Throughout the summer with the NY Rens, his play had him shoot up rankings across the industry, and after the dominating high school season he has had, he now holds the No. 1 spot.

Filipowski stands 6-foot-11 with a strong frame and legit length. The frame passes the look test when he steps on the floor. What makes this frame unique is the skill set that accompanies the frame. Filipowski is an excellent passer. His vision off the bounce and from set areas is elite, something that you do not often see from a big.

Looking past the frame and the passing, Filipowski plays with a fierce mean streak. His competitive fire shines from the opening tip to the final whistle. He competes on every possession, talks non-stop, and will let out some guttural screams throughout a game. Filipowski is a natural leader, one that players follow suit just by the way he plays.

Then there is the skill set. Filipowski brings the ball up the floor more than half the game at this level. Sure many of these are in grab-and-go situations, but the offense runs through Filipowski, especially in crunch time. The ball-handling is advanced for a player his size, and he knocks down jump shots off the catch.

Kyle Filipowki’s resume

Since the summer, Kyle Filipowski’s on-floor product has been nothing short of dominant. During session one of Nike’s EYBL bubble, his performance landed him in the discussion of the best player on the circuit. He then had to sit for the Peach Jam portion of the event and subsequently the NBPA Top 100 camp due to COVID protocols.

In every game this season, when he has faced a fellow four or five-star player, Filipowski has been in complete control of the game. This fact was on display at the Empire Classic, with a head-to-head matchup against Dereck Lively. Filipowski finished with a convincing 22 points and 12 rebounds and the win.

Filipowski in the NBA

When putting together our rankings at the top of the class, On3 looks toward NBA upside. Can the No. 1 player play in the NBA, will he make it? Talking with NBA scouts, multiple teams are starting to draft toward passing ability. With the amount of success Nikola Jokic has experienced, some teams are shifting their mindsets, looking to field a team of five guys on the floor who can all see the court and move the ball as their skill baseline.

Teams also take a look at competitive fire and how a player competes. While some on-lookers may question Filipowski’s foot speed and where he defends at the next level, and those are genuine concerns, there are a lot of boxes he exceedingly checks off for the NBA level. The most common comparisons for Filipowski are Mason Plumlee and Henry Ellenson; you even hear some talk about Kevin McHale.

Kyle Filipowski has earned the No. 1 ranking in the 2022 class.