A scouting report on NBA draft prospect Johnny Furphy:
- Position: Wing
- Height: 6-7.5 (without shoes)
- Weight: 189 pounds
- College: Kansas
Strengths
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Furphy’s got good size and solid skills on the wing.
Even though a 12-for-50 stretch over Kansas’ final dozen games dropped Furphy’s three-point percentage for the year to 35.2, his catch-and-shoot game is promising. Furphy shoots a well-balanced, low-effort jumper and is comfortable sliding into open spaces around high-usage players like Jayhawks big man Hunter Dickinson.
Furphy’s glad to accept a supporting cast sort of role, understand his limitations, and do the basics well. He committed just 28 turnovers over his 33 college games and only attempted double-digit field goals four times.
NBA
Furphy tended to be a bit more adventurous in transition. He’s capable of throwing down some big dunks and finishing through traffic on the fast break.
Kansas head coach Bill Self was a fan of Furphy’s productive hustle plays. The 19-year-old Australian grabbed 8.2 rebounds per 40 minutes.
“He’s got an element of toughness,” Self told The Athletic’s CJ Moore in March. “He’s not strong yet, but he certainly will put his nose in there. If there’s a ball halfway between you and me, there’s nothing soft about the way he goes after it.”
Weaknesses
The idea of Furphy one day becoming a high-level NBA defender able to contain all types of guards, wings and forwards would a lot be easier to picture if he was stronger and longer. Furphy’s 6-8 wingspan won’t change, but he’ll aim to gain muscle early in his professional career.
Furphy had a late growth spurt. Perhaps he’s set to develop far more than the role player traits he showcased in college, but that sort of path is mostly theoretical for now.
Furphy didn’t enter Kansas’ starting lineup until mid-January and averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds overall. He went 4 for 27 on mid-range tries last season, according to NBA.com.
If the essence of Furphy’s game in the NBA is ultimately outside jumpers, adequate defense, and occasional open-floor highlights, will his shooting be exceptional? Will Furphy work free off the ball, hit a variety of catch-and-shoot looks, and shrug off slumps? NBA teams will have to make educated guesses on those kinds of questions.
Fit
Furphy shouldn’t initially struggle meshing with stars such as Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. His time at Kansas indicates he'd know how to handle a simple, minimal role on a playoff team.
It remains to be seen whether Furphy could soon do that job better than a veteran and whether he’ll eventually expand and refine his game in a way that merits heavier minutes.