Duke star Kyle Filipowski needed a moment after finding out that he wasn’t drafted in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, as he was comforted by his stunning fiancee backstage.
The 7-ft-0 power forward was left disappointed after not hearing his name being read out loud on the first night of the draft, considering that he had showed up at the Barclay Center fully expecting to be among this year’s top 30 picks.
But thankfully, his significant other – Caitlin Hutchinson – was there to appease him with a warm hug, wrapping both of her arms around the 20-year-old while he held her closely to his chest.
Filipowski, who can also play center, didn’t need to wait too long to be drafted as he was selected as the 32nd overall pick the next day by the Jazz.
He and Hutchinson will move to Utah barely two months after they got engaged.
Duke star Kyle Filipowski needed a hug from his fiancee after his snub in the draft’s first round
The second-team All-American forward – was projected to be a late first round pick in the draft
‘Four months since the happiest yes I’ll ever say,’ she wrote as a caption highlighting her engagement to the basketball prodigy on Instagram in April.
‘Forever,’ Filipowski shared in a similar post.
The All-American forward, who is from upstate New York, averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Blue Devils last season.
He turned into a solid defender over the last 12 months, as well as he averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.
LeBron James’ eldest son and 6-ft-2 guard, Bronny, who played for USC last season, also went undrafted in the first round.
Filipowski and Hutchinson will move to Utah after he was drafted in the second round on Thur.
The couple shared that they got engaged just two months before the 2024 NBA Draft in April
‘Four months since the happiest yes I’ll ever say,’ Hutchinson captioned her engagement post on Instagram
He is anticipated to be taken in the second round on Thursday, just like Filipowski, as his dad’s team – the LA Lakers – hold the rights to the 26th overall pick.
Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes last season for the Trojans after missing the team’s first couple of games due to a congenital heart defect that was spotted only after he suffered cardiac arrest.
The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET and will air on the network.
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