Johnny Furphy receives eye-opening superlative in recent NBA GM survey

In June, the Indiana Pacers landed Australian wing Johnny Furphy after the San Antonio Spurs initially selected him with the 35th overall pick in this year's draft.

For many, it was a shock to see Furphy slip into the second round, especially considering some mock drafts had him going in the middle of the first round. Regardless, the Pacers ended up with the 19-year-old who could be a part of the team's long-term future.

It also seems that many high-tier people within the NBA also have high hopes for Furphy following the results of a recent GM survey.

NBA GMs believe Johnny Furphy was the biggest steal of the draft

In an official survey posted on NBA.com, GMs of numerous NBA teams were asked to make predictions for the following NBA season, as well as other related questions. One of the topics they voted on was who the biggest steal of this year's NBA draft was. With 10% of all votes, Furphy was tied for first in the survey.

Additionally, Bub Carrington, Devin Carter, Dalton Knecht, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Nikola Topic all received 10% of the votes as well.

What is interesting about the results of the survey is that Furphy is the only second-round pick of all these players. While the Pacers technically did not draft him, they have had success with late draft picks in recent years, especially Andrew Nembhard, who the team drafted with the 31st overall pick back in 2022.

Furphy is a well-rounded wing who can contribute to the team in every aspect of the game. He likely will not make much of an impact in Indiana during his rookie season, but there is a lot to be excited about with the Kansas alum.

Additionally, though it was a small sample size, Furphy looked solid during his Summer League performance earlier this year. In four games of the showcase, he averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1.8 blocks.

He still has a bit of work to do, especially on the defensive end, but Furphy has all the tools to become a mainstay in the NBA.