Kyle Filipowski learning how to stay ready for small moments in the NBA

Nearly every player who makes it to the NBA has spent the majority of their lives as the best player on every team that they have ever been on. They’re use to playing heavy minutes and being relied upon by the rest of their team to carry a lot of responsibility during the game.

Then, once they reach the NBA, they are faced with the harsh realities of being a rookie, which usually means low minutes, small windows of opportunity and a huge learning curve.

“It can’t be undersold that Kyle has probably never come off the bench in his life, and for most players coming into the NBA, they’ve never come off the bench,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “It’s a massive adjustment, especially when you sit for three quarters.”

That was exactly the case on Monday night in the Jazz’s preseason win over the Houston Rockets. Filipowski watched from the sidelines through the first 38 minutes of the game before checking in for the final 10 minutes. That could end up being what his role looks like for a while, and he freely admits that it’s a difficult transition.

“I think if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re lying,” he said. “Obviously it’s hard going from playing 30-plus minutes in college for two years and then just getting in at the fourth quarter. But I think kind of what’s helped me is just my preparation going into practice every day — not having these crazy expectations, where I’m putting this pressure on myself.”

In Filipowski’s first Summer League minutes with the Jazz, his nerves were high and he was trying to do everything perfect, which then led to worse feelings when things didn’t go exactly as planned. But, through weeks of offseason playing at the Jazz practice facility, official practices in training camp and now two preseason games under his belt, he’s starting to feel his nerves ease up and some of his confidence shine through.

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On Monday he played just 10 minutes, but he scored nine points by hitting 3-of-4 from 3-point range, while also grabbing five rebounds. But maybe most impressive was his passing and feel for the game.

“Kyle’s brain excites me,” Hardy said. “He’s really smart. He sees and understands quickly. His size makes him a dangerous passer...Kyle’s a hell of a player. I mean, his resume to this point speaks for itself. He’s been one of the best players, if not the best player, in every basketball game he’s probably ever played in his life. So we’re lucky to have him.”

Moving forward, one of the most important parts of Filipowski’s development will be to continue to find ways to impact the game, even in short stints, in late-game minutes and in the small windows of opportunity that he’s given.

“He’s just living a different life now than he has before, where you don’t get to touch the ball all the time, and you’re not the focal point of the game, and it’s a hard transition, when your touches or usage goes down, and then the ball finds you, and you feel sort of cold,” Hardy said.

If Filipowski can stay consistent, despite the circumstances he finds himself in during his rookie season, it could lead to more minutes, more responsibility and more familiar role.