Kansas' Johnny Furphy, and the 2024 NBA Draft...
Will we see him land in Texas...?
If you love unbiased analysis, then this post is not for you. Disclaimer, I LOVE Johnny Furphy... love everything about him. Love his game, love his story, love his attitude, love his haircut, love it when goes hard to the rack.... everything. That said, I'm taking the chance to speak into existence a Johnny Furphy to Texas NBA Draft scenario, that will allow me to watch him live as much as possible over the next few years...
Photo Credit- (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charlie Riedel | AP)
It's the eve of the 2024 NBA draft and Johnny Furphy sits poised to make history. A little over a year ago Johnny was playing NBL1 for the COE, against semi pro Aussies and a smattering of NBL talent. The COE team was stacked, and alongside teammates like Alex Toohey, Rocco Zikarsky, Alex Condon and Ben Henshall, Furphy was a late bloomer. While his teammates were negotiating Next Star deals with Liam Santamaria, Furphy decided to take the US College route.
Amidst the turmoil of the current US College Basketball landscape, ravaged by NIL deals and the Transfer Portal, Furphy signed with Blue Blood Kansas. Projected as a bench, or possible outside rotation player, Furphy was promised nothing. But it's clear he had faith in himself and his game. Over the first 8 games he was putting up around 5 points in about 14 minutes a game. But he stayed with it, and as a Freshman, was able to earn the trust of Kansas Head Coach Bill Self, a legend and master of identifying and working with high level talent. The back half of the season saw him elevated to a starter role, and he became a big time contributor, on a star studded Jayhawks outfit. Even with the low minutes to start the season, Furphys production was so good in the back half of the year that he ended up averaging 9 points a game in 24 minutes on 35.2% from 3pt, and being Kansas' most reliable 3 point shooter.
Now as we sit here on the precipice of the 2024 NBA Draft, Johnny Furphy is a green room invite and all but guaranteed first round pick. It's insane. What he has done in the last 12 months is as an incredible rise as I've seen in all my time watching College Basketball. Now rather than tell you about his length at 6'9, his athleticism, great shooting, incredible upside, and room for improvement defensively, like all the draft analysts ... I'm going to focus on where he's going to land!!!
Current NBA mock drafts have our boy as follows-
ESPN- #18 Orlando
CBS- #19 Raptors
New York Times- #18 Orlando
Ringer- #24 Knicks
USAToday- #18 Orlando
SB Nation- #20 Cleveland
As you may know, the Head Office's of Aussies in NCAAB sit in Central Texas. With proximity to San Antonio, Houston and Dallas NBA stadiums and their G League affiliates, these are 3 teams I'd love to see Johnny land on. The current G League is used to get majors reps in for late 1st round picks on assignment, like 2023 Draftee’s; Cam Whitmore pick #20 for the Rockets who played a number of games in the G for RGV Vipers, or Jalen Hood-Schifino, #17 pick for the Lakers who was sent to play with Jack White at South Bay a few times. This my best case scenario for getting some up close courtside seats to see Johnny PLAY in year 1... Here are the Texas Teams current draft picks.
San Antonio Spurs- 4, 8, 35, 48
Houston Rockets- 3, 44
Dallas Mavericks- 58
Given Johnnys likely to land in the late teens to early twenties it looks like I might be outta luck. I'd even take a West Coast team, doubling my chances of seeing him come through Texas. But even that looks unlikely with the glut of Eastern Conference teams clogging the middle of the draft. Dallas’ 24th pick going to New York is the killer. So unless San Antonio falls in LOVE with Furphy at 8.... or he somehow drops to the second round and can be swept up at 35, I think my chances are low, low, low. There's always trade possibilities too? I can see Cleveland needing a wing shooter at 19... not sure what this means for Travers, but I think Johnny is a better prospect long term. New York could be interesting if he is still around in the mid twenties, as they have pick 24 and 25. Adding some length and shooting to Brunson and Hart would be nice! Toronto also would have use for him, on their way to a full rebuild. Orlando at 18 would actually be awesome.. a full mentorship with Joe Ingles for a year would be all time.. plus Orlando's G League team are in the same division as the Texas G League teams for the showcase cup (the first half of the G League season). 22 to Phoenix would be nice too.. the Suns need some cheap talent to pair with their Big 3. Could be a great opportunity for Johnny to get some NBA minutes in year 1.. plus they just launched their G League team for this upcoming season.
Whatever happens tomorrow, Johnny has had an insane last 18 months, and is looking like another big Aussie NBA talent. Congrats to Johnny and his family, and all his Coaches along the way. Excited to see how this plays out...