The Kansas basketball program has produced several NBA players in recent years. Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji were lottery picks in the last two drafts, and the Jayhawks could still have some success even if the two draft prospects aren’t as highly touted.
Super senior guard Kevin McCullar and freshman wing Johnny Furphy were the two NBA prospects on the roster. In a recent mock draft from On3’s James Fletcher III, both former KU stars are selected for the latter stages of the first round. McCullar goes 23rd overall to the Milwaukee Bucks, while Furphy goes 27th overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Fletcher’s mock draft, like many others, places the duo very close to each other in terms of draft selection. This is a recurring theme in mocks – some drafts even have the Jayhawks selected in back-to-back picks. Barring a poor performance at the NBA Draft Combine, neither of them should go later than the early parts of the second round.
McCullar broke out offensively last season, averaging a Big 12-leading 18.3 points per game with 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 assists on shooting splits of 45, 4%/33.3%/80.5%. He had already spent three seasons at Texas Tech before transferring to the Jayhawks and expanding his game over two years in Lawrence.
Furphy was one of the nation’s most promising young prospects during the second half of the season, averaging 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 3-pointers after being inserted into the starting lineup in January. He’s a 6-foot-9 wing with length, a smooth shooting stroke and the perfect physical tools to become the NBA’s prototypical 3-and-D wing.
There are many factors that could turn professional recruiters away from these two. McCullar missed the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament after dealing with a knee injury for more than two months, something teams will certainly look into. Meanwhile, Furphy had approached the mock lottery before a late-season slump hurt his draft stock.
The Melbourne native will almost certainly end up as a one and done. He still has the option to return to Kansas, but recent moves in the transfer portal suggest the coaching staff is moving on. While neither McCullar nor Furphy are expected to become star players, they can both develop into huge role players if given time.
