The 2024 NBA Draft is over, and the Indiana Pacers have three new prospects to gauge and decide if they can help the team, whether now or in the future. Chief among those prospects is Johnny Furphy, a 19-year-old 6-foot-9 guard/wing from the University of Kansas whom the Pacers traded up one spot with the San Antonio Spurs to select
From the outset, this looks like a home run pick, as Furphy was slated to be a first-round prospect by almost everyone and was even projected to go as high as the top 10 according to some. Sure enough, this pick came with an oddly hefty price tag, as Indiana sent the 36th pick, in addition to $6.90 million in cash considerations to the San Antonio Spurs to make the deal work. This was the last day Indiana could use that cash, and they decided to spend it on a draft prospect, and a rather good one at that.
History tells us that second-round picks don't usually amount to much and some don't even step foot on an NBA floor. However, Furphy is different. Rather than being a lifelong overseas player who gets spot minutes in the league, Furphy has a serious opportunity to contribute on an NBA floor as soon as this upcoming season.
There is a reason why he was projected to go so high in mock drafts and why people have been giving the Pacers props for trading to attain him. Johnny Furphy is a legitimate NBA prospect who can fit right in with what the Pacers are building and help fill in some holes from Day 1.
Here's a breakdown of what he can do on the floor and how he can help Indy in the near, or distant future.