Duke center Kyle Filipowski to return to Blue Devils for 2023-24

Screenshot 2023-07-18 at 4.54.37 PMby:Riley Gates04/11/23

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Duke center Kyle Filipowski has decided to return to the Blue Devils in 2023-24, he announced Tuesday. Filipowski just completed his first season playing for Duke.

A staple of Duke’s 2022 recruiting class, Filipowski was a five-star and the No. 5 overall player in the class for head coach Jon Scheyer. Filipowski’s play on the floor backed up those rankings he had entering college as well. Despite being in a star-studded class, Filipowski emerged as the top star of the group.

Filipowski averaged 15.1 points per game to go along with 8.9 rebounds per game during his freshman season, both of which led his team statistically. Filipowski only failed to score in double figures five times during the 2022-23 season and posted a double-double 16 times.

Filipowski was key during Duke’s three-game run to the ACC Tournament title, scoring 22, 17 and 20 points in those three games. But in the NCAA Tournament, Filipowski struggled. He had just six points in the opening-round win over Oral Roberts. In the second-round loss to Tennessee, Filipowski scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but also had four turnovers and was 0-for-5 from three-point land.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, while Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is expected to handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, which is also the start of the NBA Conference Finals.