Duke's top two scorers in C Filipowski, G McCain declare for NBA draft

Duke's Kyle Filipowski heads to the bench after fouling out against North Carolina State during the second half of an Elite Eight college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Dallas, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

DURHAM, N .C. (AP) — Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain, Duke’s top two scorers, are both off the NBA.

The two announced their decisions on social media Friday.

Filipowski, a 7-foot sophomore from Westtown, N.Y., was named a second-team AP All-American after averaging a team-high 16.4 points. He also led the Blue Devils in rebounds (8.3 per game) and in blocked shots with 54.

Filipowski thanked the school, its fans, his teammates and coaches. “This has been a lifelong dream of mine,” he said in his post. “And I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to pursue it.”

McCain, a 6-3 freshman from Sacramento, Calif., averaged 14.3 points. He, too, thanked his family, fans, coaches and teammates for their support during his one season in college.

“But I’ve always been a dream chaser,” he said. “I’ve always been one to reach my goals and that next one is the NBA.”

Both Filipowski and McCain are projected to mid-first round selections in the NBA draft.

Duke finished 27-9 this season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight where it lost to ACC rival North Carolina State.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball