A pair of bitter rivals are now set to be NBA teammates, as Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and UNC’s Armando Bacot were both acquired by the Utah Jazz. After two years of intense battles, they’ll suddenly have to work together.
Filipowski was selected in the early second round of last month’s NBA Draft following a tumble punctuated by bizarre personal rumors, while Bacot was signed as an undrafted free agent to an Exhibit 10 contract.
Both players made the All-ACC teams each of the last two years, serving as two of the marquee players defining the biggest rivalry in college basketball. For a rebuilding Jazz team, that competitive fire should just feed their mutual respect in Utah.
Kyle Filipowski and Armando Bacot as teammates is unsettling… https://t.co/ROPdqr4BN7
— Zach Ciavolella (Cha-vo-lel-la) (@CiavoNBA) July 2, 2024
Bacot, who averaged a double-double for three straight years as a Tar Heel, pulled down a remarkable 21 rebounds in the 2022 Final Four win over Duke in 2022, legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game.
Filipowski had his share of wins too though, sweeping Bacot and UNC in 2022-23 before advancing farther in the NCAA Tournament this season.
The two big men have different approaches to the position, with Filipowski serving as a floor-spacing rim protector with a polished post game and Bacot bullying his way down low through sheer physicality and rebounding prowess.
In theory, they’re an ideal combination of teammates who complement each other’s games well. Summer league begins on Monday and lasts through Wednesday, giving fans a chance to see the bitter rivals find common ground.
Utah takes on the Memphis Grizzles in their first summer league game Monday night at 6 PM MT.
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Publish date : 2024-07-08 09:17:15
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