Johnny Furphy NBA draft projection: 5 landing spots for the Kansas shooting guard ft. San Antonio Spurs and more
Kansas's Johnny Furphy will have a difficult NBA decision after this season. The 6-foot-9 Aussie guard has shown his impressive perimeter skills, but there's no denying he could still hone some of the rough edges of his game. With the 2024 NBA Draft expected to be a bit light on talent, Furphy may decide to take his talents to the next level.
A part-time starter at Kansas, Furphy averages 8.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. His perimeter skills are impressive (37.6% three-point shooting on 3.7 attempts per game). That said, his defense is a bit hit and miss, and he has just 16 total assists in 23 games.
Furphy has been inconsistent at times with Kansas. He scored in double figures in six straight games from mid-January to early February. But in Kansas's last two games, Furphy has just 15 points combined and shot 0-for-10 from beyond the arc. Still, if Furphy can have a productive March and Kansas can make a solid NCAA Tournament run, the NBA may come calling. Here's five guesses as to where Furphy could end up if he declares for the draft.
Top 5 NBA landing spots for Johnny Furphy:
1.San Antonio Spurs
Obviously, the Spurs have plenty of needs as they build around VIctor Wembanyama. One key area is perimeter shooting. The Spurs are currently last in the NBA in three-point percentage, connecting on just 34.1% of their three-point tries. The Spurs also just traded leading perimeter shooter Doug McDermott. With his effective outside shot, Johnny Furphy could certain end up as a Spur.
2. Orlando Magic
Similarly, Orlando's top three-point shooter is center Wendell Carter Jr. Furphy could be used at either shooting guard or small forward, giving rest to Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. With Paolo Banchero operating down low, another steady shooter could significantly boost a Magic team that's likely reaching the postseason.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
In the modern NBA, a team can never have too many scorers. That's why the Thunder, with the fourth highest scoring average in the NBA (120.7 ppg), might want yet another scoring threat. The Thunder's core is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a pair of bigs in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Furphy could easily render Josh Giddeny or Luguentz Dort unneeded.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
When Memphis gets Ja Morant healthy and back on the court, they could use more perimeter options. Desmond Bane continues to grow his game, but the Grizzlies have spots to plug another perimeter scorer around thier core. Given Furphy's youth (19-years-old) and inexperience, the chance to learn from a couple of All-Star-level players would be a nice boost.
5. Los Angeles Lakers
With the pairing of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers can use complementing pieces. With LeBron approaching the age of 40, a big guard who can shoot seems like a likely fit for the LA Lakers. Johnny Furphy could be an irresistible mixture of youth and talent for the Lakers pipeline.
Do you think Johnny Furphy will go pro? If so, where would you like to see him play? Weigh in with the comment section below.