Duke’s Kyle Filipowski embracing villain role: ‘You’re spending your money to watch me beat your a–‘

Kyle Filipowski is becoming a member of the likes of Christian Laettner, J.J. Redick and Grayson Allen.

The rising Duke sophomore is now on the checklist of Blue Devil villainshowever he certain is embracing the function.

All of the hate he obtained as a freshman is simply motivation to place Duke again to the head of males’s school basketball, Filipowski says.

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“I did expertise some (hate) final 12 months, simply listening to lots of dangerous speak about me,” the seven-footer stated on Duke basketball’s “The Brotherhood” podcast. “That is what occurs whenever you’re a very good participant taking part in for a very good crew…

“I exploit it as gasoline to the hearth. It makes me chortle as a result of I am like, ‘You guys are speaking s— to me when you’re watching me play. You are spending your cash to observe me beat your a–.’ It’s totally entertaining for me.”

Filipowski averaged 15.1 factors and 9 rebounds per sport, each team-highs, in his 36 contests final 12 months, all of which he began, en path to being named the ACC Rookie of the Yr.

Heart Kyle Filipowski of the Duke Blue Devils shoots a free throw towards the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum on January 23, 2023 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Photographs)

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He and the Dukies received the ACC Event in March however misplaced within the Spherical of 32 as a five-seed on this previous March Madness tournament to No. 4 Tennessee. Filipowski says if he performed wherever else, he in all probability would have entered the draft.

“I simply actually beloved it this previous 12 months,” Filipowski stated. “A dream of mine is to win a nationwide championship. I actually do not assume there’s any higher place to do it. Going into the choice, I stated to myself and some different folks, ‘If I had been to have gone some place else in school, I don’t assume I’d have stayed for my sophomore 12 months.’ I in all probability would have ended up going to the draft. I simply loved being at Duke a lot; it actually made me wish to stick round for yet another 12 months.”

Heart Kyle Filipowski of the Duke Blue Devils throughout the Virginia Tech Hokies sport at Cassell Coliseum on Jan. 23, 2023, in Blacksburg. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Photographs)

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Filipowski was a five-star recruit out of Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts. He was the ACC Event MVP in addition to a member of the All-ACC Second Staff.