Illinois Basketball: 2022’s Matthew Filipowski receives Illini offer

With the season a month away, the Illinois basketball recruiting train keeps on pushing, Matthew Filipowski is no exception.

Matthew Filipowski and Kyle Filipowski are blood brothers on the basketball court, along with becoming two of Illinois’ most recent offers for the 2022 class.

Matthew Filipowski is 6-foot-11, 235-pounds and plays the center position for Wilbraham and Monson Academy in Westtown, New York. During the 2019-2020 season, the brothers led the team to a 19-12 record, which included a six-game win streak and a New England AA title win, which is a potential sign of good things to come for the tandem.

Filipowski has high expectations entering his junior season, and his coach, Michael Mannix, recognizes that.

"”He came off the bench and gave us a great lift all year,”  Mannix told 247 Sports. “He’s a great teammate. Plays hard and is very unselfish. (Matt) rebounds, scores, and blocks shots. Good mobility for 6’11 and he’s getting stronger.”"

Filipowski was recently offered by the Orange and Blue, but also has received interest from Georgetown and Pittsburgh as his stock continues to increase.

Matthew Filipowski is unranked by 247 Sports.

At press time, Filipowski is unranked by 247 Sports, even though multiple high-level offers and interests are starting to roll in for the young big man. He also decided that a change of scenery would be best after his freshman season, where his old school, Fordham Prep, took home a NEPSAC AA title.

Filipowski feels better after transferring to Wilbraham and Monson Academy, as he continues to develop his overall basketball IQ with mid-range jump shots and a more efficient three-pointer.

At Illinois, Filipowski would fit right in, as likely by then the team would need to fill a critical void at the center position once Kofi Cockburn officially departs.