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The NBA Summer League is a proving ground for the league's next generation. First and second-year players enjoy the spotlight as they vie for a championship in Las Vegas. Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets took the title home after a thrilling game over Nique Clifford and the Sacramento Kings. However, the league's MVP honors went to Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski.
Filipowski dominated the competition as a sophomore NBA player. The former Duke Blue Devil averaged 29.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in summer league. He lead the league in scoring, even if his team did not go as deep as his play might suggest. Despite that, his performance was impressive and has Jazz fans excited to see what he can do in the regular season.
The 6-foot-11 forward came off of Utah's bench last season. At 9.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest, he had a tough time getting consistent minutes. After his outing at summer league, he has made it very difficult for Will Hardy to not start him in the 2025-26 season. His emergence might make it easier for the Jazz to move on from Lauri Markkanen as well.
While Filipowski was the MVP, he was not the only player who excited the NBA world in Las Vegas. Despite suffering a facial injury, Knueppel led Charlotte to the championship. In addition to him, Clifford's scoring prowess already has teams kicking themselves for not drafting him earlier in the first round. For now, though, Filipowski stands above them all.
With summer league behind him, the forward's focus shifts to training camp and the regular season. If he can maintain his high scoring average, there is a clear role for him alongside Walker Kessler. The Jazz expect a lot from Ace Bailey. However, having Filipowski as a consistent scoring threat at all three levels would help him tremendously.
Winning the NBA Summer League MVP could be the first step in a successful sophomore campaign for Filipowski. If his performance in Las Vegas is any indication, the sky's the limit.
