Utah Jazz join Best Friends to score homes for pets

Here’s something you don’t see every day: an NBA star walking a dog around Salt Lake City’s Sugar House neighborhood. But that’s exactly what happened on December 9, which was dubbed Pay It Forward Day in the state of Utah.

Utah Jazz center Kyle Filipowski traded the hardwood for the sidewalk and went for a stroll with Topino, a gentle giant of a dog who was available for adoption at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center.

Six-year-old Topino came to Best Friends from a shelter several hours away, his tail wagging from the moment he arrived. This happy and sweet boy was soon adopted, but he returned a few months later after his adopter faced a housing crisis.

Topino was on the rebound, and the Best Friends team was ready to help him score a new home. His personality ticked the boxes for many potential adopters: He walked on the leash like a champ, enjoyed playing with other dogs, and was incredibly affectionate. (If there were a National Snuggle Association, Topino would definitely go pro.) However, at 100 pounds, he needed a family who was ready to go big.

Perhaps a little star power would help send Topino and other adoptable pets home.

To celebrate Pay It Forward Day, the SEG Foundation, which serves as the primary vehicle for the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth’s philanthropic work, covered all pet adoption fees at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Salt Lake City.

In addition to their new best friends, adopters took home goodie bags filled with Jazz swag. And of course, the afternoon culminated with a special visit from Jazz player and animal lover Kyle Filipowski.

Staff led Kyle on a tour of the pet adoption center, where epic cuteness ensued. (Have you ever seen a man who’s 6-foot-11 cuddling a 2-pound kitten?) Even though Kyle’s a dog guy, he let a squad of playful kittens climb up his legs and waved the wand toy as they leapt through the air like they were shooting 3-pointers.

[KC Chiefs star scores big off the field for homeless pets]

So what inspired Kyle to pay it forward at Best Friends?

“I grew up with a couple dogs, and I just think they’re the greatest thing on the Earth,” says Kyle, a pile of puppies snoozing on his lap. “No matter what type of day you have, good or bad, you come home, and there they are just ready to be with you. That’s really all they look forward to every day.”

The former Duke standout joined the Jazz in 2024 and now calls Salt Lake City home. He says it’s important to him to help the people and pets in his new community — and one way to do that is connecting them through adoption.

When it comes to deciding to adopt a pet, Kyle’s advice is simple: “Definitely do it. There’s nothing better.”

By the time the buzzer sounded at the end of the day, 24 pets were headed home with smiling families. There was a little boy bursting with excitement about his new kitten and a woman so in love with her new puppy that she couldn’t bring herself to set the pup down, even for just a few minutes, while she filled out the adoption application.

Topino didn’t go home that day — but don’t worry. Just four days later, a couple came into the pet adoption center looking for a large dog. (They previously had a big pup, who sadly passed away last year.)

Best Friends staff knew exactly whom to pull off the bench.

[From hoops to homes: Big 12 crowd scores puppy cuddles]

The couple met Topino, looked into his soulful eyes, and could sense his loving heart. They knew they couldn’t pass him up and decided to adopt him that day. Along with Topino, the family went home with a Jazz swag bag that had been saved just for him, as well as a framed photo of Topino with Kyle Filipowski autographed by the player.

Today, Topino is surely sniffing his way around his new neighborhood and getting lots of love from his humans. Although Topino is focused on the future, he’ll always have a baller story about the time he took a walk with an NBA player committed to finding homes for pets just like him.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.