Will KU Jayhawks’ Johnny Furphy be one-and-done? He’s a projected NBA lottery pick
Kansas Jayhawks freshman Johnny Furphy continues to impress. And his draft stock is skyrocketing.
The Athletic’s latest NBA mock draft projects that Furphy will be selected by the Portland Trailblazers with the No. 13 overall pick in the June 26-27 NBA Draft.
It’s one of the first lottery projections for Furphy, who has averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, while shooting 54% from the field, since joining KU’s starting lineup on Jan. 13. He’s also been red-hot from deep, shooting 41.1% from 3-point range.
Here’s what The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote about the Australian guard:
“At 6-9, with legitimate athleticism in the open court, Furphy is a potential one-and-done who was not even really on the radar this time last year. Over the last 18 months, the Australian has exploded. At the Center of Excellence in Australia, he was always seen as an interesting upside swing due to his athleticism and shooting ability, but he didn’t always know how to impact the game when he was out there.
“Now, Furphy has earned serious minutes and consistently hits the score sheet with his rebounding, and he forces teams to run in transition with Kansas because of how much pressure he puts on the rim.”
Furpy is rated as a first-round talent by multiple NBA Draft evaluators.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects he’ll be picked No. 21 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. Meanwhile, ESPN believes he will be selected No. 29 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Earlier in February, one national NBA Draft evaluator told The Star he was impressed by Furphy, even calling him an NBA player.
“I’m a fan,” the evaluator said, “but (I’m) not sure if he should go (pro) this year or next. I feel Furphy has a better feel than (former KU standout/current Toronto Raptors player) Gradey (Dick) did.”
Then again, the evaluator said, “I think he could totally benefit from staying in college an extra year.”
As for whether Furphy will become a one-and-done like Dick, last season’s KU freshman star? For now, that’s the big unknown.
Sources close to the situation tell The Star that Furphy is currently focused on helping KU win a national championship but will consider declaring for the NBA Draft based on the outcome of the Jayhawks’ season.
This story was originally published February 20, 2024 at 12:42 PM.
