Why KU freshman Johnny Furphy stayed in the NBA Draft (and could be a lottery pick)
For Kansas Jayhawks freshman Johnny Furphy, the decision to stay in the NBA Draft wasn’t an easy one.
“It was probably the biggest decision I’ve had to make in my life,” Furphy told The Star. “I was so grateful for the position I was in. I had such great options either way. So it was definitely something I had to sit down with family and kind of my support circle and really map out what each option looked like, knowing the risks associated with either option.”
Furphy added, “It was definitely super, super challenging to make that decision.”
Still, the Melbourne, Australia native said he’s happy with his decision. Furphy vividly remembers his conversation with coach Bill Self and KU’s coaching staff about that choice.
“It was a tough conversation, but they didn’t put any pressure on me, which I was super grateful for,” Furphy said. “Whatever decision I made, they were going to support me a hundred percent. They totally understood this is like my dream — what I’ve been working for my entire life. … I’m so grateful for how they approached the situation without putting pressure on me.”
Furphy attributes staying in the draft to the momentum he gained after the NBA Combine. After working out in front of teams, most mock drafts projected Furphy as a mid-to-late first-round pick.
“It was an opportunity that I couldn’t see myself walking away from when it came down to it,” he said.
Furphy told The Star on Wednesday that he’s worked out with seven NBA teams from the range of pick No. 9 (Memphis) to pick No. 20 (Cleveland).
Furphy recently received an invitation to attend the 2024 NBA Draft and sit in the green room at Barclays Center.
He has accepted the invitation and plans to attend the draft, which is set for June 26-27, with his family. He’s also hoping some of KU’s coaching staff will be in attendance.
Furphy has certainly come a long way in a year. When he arrived in Lawrence, most analysts saw him as a multiyear player who could eventually be a first-round pick.
Furphy averaged 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds and was voted to the Big 12’s all-freshman team.
He declared for the draft in April and, according to multiple mock drafts, his stock has slowly risen. A national NBA Draft evaluator told the Star that Furphy impressed during shooting drills at Priority Sports’ pro day.
He’s spent the past few months working on his conditioning, tightening his handles and making his shot as consistent as possible. He now weighs 195 pounds (previously, he weighed 202 pounds).
It’s still a bit of a shock for Furphy to see himself projected as a first-round draft pick. The forward didn’t even know what a green-room invite was until a few months ago.
“If I’m being honest, it really hasn’t sunk in,” Furphy said. “It doesn’t really feel real yet, that this is actually happening and it’s real. It’s just something that I’ve grown up watching, seeing other people go through and just kind of realize that I’m about to go through this. It’s pretty awesome. It’s definitely a crazy feeling.”
While Furphy might not know what team he will be picked by, he remains levelheaded through it all.
“I’m not going to have any expectations — I think I’m fairly used to joining a new team, a new environment,” he said. “I kind of know what to anticipate, how it’s going to be and knowing that I need to establish myself. Keeping it simple will be super important.”
As Furphy gets closer to his dreams, he’ll never forget his one year in Lawrence.
In fact, he left a message for Jayhawk fans.
“Thank you,” Furphy said. “You guys changed my life.”
This story was originally published June 20, 2024 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Why KU freshman Johnny Furphy stayed in the NBA Draft (and could be a lottery pick)."
