Better late than never Johnny Furphy. Restricted to a rotation role with Kansas at the start of the season, the Australian had to wait until early January to establish himself in Bill Self's starting five. Patience is also what he showed to confirm his name in this Draft, validating your registration in the final hours after hesitating to return to the Jayhawks for one more season to develop. Johnny Furphy is thus an unfinished product, and in certain aspects frankly far from polished. But his production in 2024 despite rather limited responsibilities suggests a very useful “role player” in the current NBA.
Profile
Job : winger
Size : 2m02
Weight : 86 kg
Team : Kansas Jayhawks (NCAA)
Stats 2023/24: 9 points at 47% including 35% from distance, 4.9 rebounds, 1 assist
Strong points
– The potential. From 5.6 points, 2.6 rebounds in 13 minutes to 11.6 points at 45.9% (34.9% at 3-points), 6.6 rebounds in 32 minutes. This is Johnny Furphy's season in two acts between his first and 14th game, then between the 15th and 33rd game of the NCAA season. It was on this short sample that the Australian was able to display his long shot, his situational intelligence without the ball and in defense far from the ball. Enough to intrigue the “scouts”.
– The direction of the rebound. A player between positions 3 and 2, he has unusual timing and placement to recover missed shots from both his opponents and his teammates. Although not very thick, he knows how to have a tenth of a second ahead of even stronger opponents.
Weak points
– Physical qualities. Slender, Johnny Furphy clearly fishes in both power and support speed. This costs him dearly on defense, where he has often been dominated in the NCAA against gifted attackers with the ball in hand. His wingspan, barely larger than his height, leaves something to be desired for a winger in the NBA.
– The offensive baggage. Johnny Furphy's shot is the perfect illustration of the work that remains to be accomplished. Very good in “catch-and-shoot” from a distance with very solid fundamentals, he is however until now unable to make his wrist speak for itself: only one of his 44 successful winning shots was not consecutive to a decisive pass. Interesting on the counter-attack or to surprise the defense with his movements without the ball, he doesn't bring much else to the game.
Comparison
Somewhere between a Trey Murphy III university version at Virginia and Christian Braun for his abilities without the ball.
Prognosis
Between Top 20 and the end of the first round. Seeing it higher is not impossible depending on the needs of the franchises on the wings and shooting (Magic in 18, Raptors in 19, Cavaliers in 20).
