WRITTEN BY MICHAEL SWAIN – 247 SPORTS
LAWRENCE, Kan. (247Sports.com) – The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain college eligibility is set for Wednesday night. And KU freshman Johnny Furphy has announced his intention to remain in the 2024 NBA Draft and begin his professional career.
As a freshman, Furphy averaged 9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 24.1 minutes per game. Although Furphy did not compete in scrimmages at the NBA Draft Combine earlier this month, he did participate in some drills at the combine. He was a standout during the 3-point shooting drill that went around the arc, making 12 shots in a row during one stretch. He also measured well, coming in at 6-foot-7.5 without shoes with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and a standing reach of 8-foot-8.5.
Furphy was projected to go No. 13 overall in the latest CBS Sports mock draft from Kyle Boone.
With Furphy departing, here is a look at the scholarship players on track to be at KU this winter…
- Dajuan Harris
- Hunter Dickinson
- KJ Adams
- Zeke Mayo
- AJ Storr
- Rylan Griffen
- Zach Clemence
- Elmarko Jackson
- Jamari McDowell
- Flory Bidunga
- Rakease Passmore
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As for his time in Lawrence, Furphy had quite a unique recruitment that led him to KU. Initially a member of the 2023 class, Furphy planned on moving back a year to the 2024 class due to his recruitment being quiet. But last summer, the 6-foot-9 wing stood out at the NBA Academy games in Atlanta and coupled the performance with another good weekend at the Sportradar Showdown in Las Vegas.
After KU offered and recruited him to join the team for the 2023-24 season, Furphy elected to go back to his initial class and enroll at KU. His commitment was made public on August 2 and he arrived in Lawrence a few weeks later.
Furphy started the season as a reserve coming off the bench, but earned a starting role in mid-January. When he was inserted into the starting lineup, Furphy hit the ground running. Over his first seven starts, KU went 5-2 and the freshman averaged 14.4 points per game on 60.7 percent shooting from the field and 51.5 percent shooting from 3. He also chipped in with 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his 32 minutes per game.
Things changed for Furphy to end the season, though, and it all started with KU’s road defeat to K-State in which the freshman shot 2-for-7 from the field. Over the final 12 games of the season, KU went 5-7. Furphy averaged 9.9 points per game on 37 percent shooting from the field and 24 percent shooting from 3 with 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists to his name in 32 minutes per game.
The 2024 NBA Draft will be a two-day event this year. The first round will take place on June 26 and the second round will take place on June 27, both events will be televised on ESPN.
