NBA Draft Profile- Johnny Furphy

At Draft Nation, the NBA draft talk never ends. We will get you ready for the 2024 draft with player profiles and mock drafts so you can see who your favorite team may add to their roster. 

Today’s Spotlight - Kansas, Guard/Forward, Johnny Furphy

Name- Johnny Furphy

Pos- Guard/Forward

Team- Kansas

HT/WT- 6’9” 200 lbs

Born- 12/7/2004

Home – Melbourne, Australia

Johnny Furphy was born and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. He attended the Basketball Australia Centre for Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport. During his senior season, Furphy averaged 14.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 12 games. He committed to play basketball in the United States for the University of Kansas.

Furphy started his freshman season as a wing reserve, but as the season went on he joined the starting 5. He played in 33 games, starting 19 of those contests and averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. 

Strengths

• Ball Handling
• Size and Skill
• 3-point Shooting
• High Energy

Johnny Furphy is a high-motor player with a ton of energy who excels in transition. At 6'9" he will be a tough matchup for a two-guard and he can matchup at the small forward position. He is strong enough to play through contact and he does an effective job of finishing when he drives the ball to the basket. He spaces the floor efficiently and understands where the ball needs to go on offense. He is not the most creative passer but will not be a turnover liability either. He works for rebounds and will have a height advantage at the two-guard position.

Weaknesses

• Defense
• Off the dribble creation
• Average athlete

Furphy is a good shooter but he does not create and lacks the moves to beat a tight defender one-on-one. He plays better in the open court. 

On defense, he will struggle if he is put on an island against a faster opponent. He needs to tighten up his mechanics and footwork on defense and may be a liability in man-to-man coverages. He lacks the athleticism of some of the other top prospects and may only project as a situational player in a rotation. 

Final Analysis

Furphy has a high enough ceiling and skill set to be a mid-late first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Draft 412 Draft Prediction - Lottery Pick- 1st round pick