Kansas Jayhawks basketball team lands top international prospect Johnny Furphy: details

Shreyas Laddha
·2 min read
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Johnny Furphy, a 6-foot-7, 180-pound forward from Canberra, Australia, has committed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks basketball program, he told 247Sports’ Travis Branham Wednesday.

Furphy will reclassify from the Class of 2024 and join coach Bill Self’s 2023-24 KU team.

“I think everybody knows that Kansas is one of the basketball programs in the United States, but what made the difference in the end was Coach Self explaining the role he had in mind for me,” Furphy told 247Sports. “To be honest, I was nervous about coming to such a big program, but Coach Self has given me confidence that he both wants and needs me at Kansas.”

Furphy excelled at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta and the Sportradar Showdown in Las Vegas and ultimately picked KU over multiple other schools, including Duke, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Marquette and Providence, to name just a few.

At the NBA Academy games, Furphy averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 steals a game while shooting 45.2% from the field.

He was initially a member of the Class of 2023 but had reclassified to the Class of 2024 in February to earn more offers.

He explained his decision to reclassify back to the Class of 2023 to Branham:

“I think the scale of Kansas, I think it was an opportunity that was really appealing for myself and my family,” he said. “We just thought it was the best situation for me and my basketball, so I am really excited to get started. I have heard a lot of amazing things about Kansas, so this opportunity was really appealing for us.”

Furphy will likely back up starting wing Kevin McCullar Jr. Furphy is excellent at getting to the rim and finishing with ease. He also provides much-needed shooting for KU.

As for what his role could look like in Lawrence?

“They envision me fitting right in,” he said. “They just want me to be myself, provide pressure on the offensive end, knock down shots and be an all-around aggressive wing who can contribute to the team.”

Furphy is KU’s 11th scholarship player on the 2023-24 roster. The Jayhawks return just four players from last year’s roster: Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams, Zach Clemence and McCullar; Clemence will redshirt next season.