Duke lands Filipowski as 1st recruit of Scheyer era

Duke head coach-in-waiting John Scheyer signed his first recruit since being named Mike Krzyzewski's successor in June.

Center Kyle Filipowski committed to Duke on Thursday and will join the Blue Devils for Scheyer's first season in charge in 2022-23.

"At the end of the day, they just checked all of the boxes for me," Filipowski told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Adam Finkelstein. "They are a national-level team, my academics were very important to me, and I had a good feel for the environment and campus.

"Just being around that type of environment and having those relationships, I really feel like when I'm done with my time at Duke I'll be the best version of myself, both on and off the court. I can just envision myself growing there with the people I'm surrounding myself with."

The 6-foot-11 Filipowski attends Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts and is ranked No. 20 on the ESPN 100 for 2022. A playmaking big with excellent handles, Filipowski is considered a top-five recruit among centers in his class.

"Coach K retiring didn't change how I felt about Duke," Filipowski said. "I've been building this relationship with coach Scheyer for over six months now, and the vision he has, not just for me but for my class, is something that I can envision myself in."