Kyle Filipowski is nasty. He’s 6’10”, great handle, explosive first-step, finish on the break, shoot from outside, nasty. His summer AAU circuit is turning heads and sure to raise his profile and rating by the time the fall basketball season rolls around. He’s also being courted by a number of elite programs, including Duke, Ohio State and Syracuse. We now have the schedule of his visits, and Central New York is first up.
The Orange will get the first crack at it, and whether that’s an advantage is up to your personal taste. Studies show humans pay most attention to the first and the last in a list. In marketing, you want your product mentioned either first or last. In reading retention, the first and last chapters are the most memorable. So at the very least, SU has one of the premier spots.
SU has an opportunity to make a big first impression, and force Filipowski to compare everything to them. The Melo Center, the Carrier Dome, the feel of campus can all be benchmarks for him. More importantly though, the staff’s pitch on playing time, utilization of his skill set, competition in the ACC, and personal relationships with coaches will be his first intimate introduction into college hoops.
The bad news is after six other visits, SU may get buried in the back. That’s a lot of practice facilities, weight rooms, staff pitches, and campuses to keep straight. Also, visiting Duke at the end gives Coach K, Cameron Indoor, and all those banners the last word. That’s not good.
But Filipowski’s northeast roots can only help SU, plus other schools are using Orange legends to win him over. Syracuse’s recruitment may have started only recently because of Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, but they landed his first visit. That’s a solid place to be.
