Kansas guard Johnny Furphy could have a chance to represent his country at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
Furphy was chosen on Wednesday for a 22-man preliminary squad from which Australia will pick its final roster of 12.
Basketball Australia’s official press release refers to the young selection as a “US college enigma.”
The native of Melbourne, Australia, came to KU from the Centre of Excellence, a program designed to groom future members of the country’s national squads.
Furphy had intended to reclassify to the recruiting class of 2024, but burst onto the scene at the NBA Academy Games and signed with KU late in the summer.
He did not arrive in Lawrence until the start of the semester, then was slowed down further by severe shin splints. But he rapidly emerged as the best long-range shooting threat on an otherwise paint-focused team, and his 6-foot-9 height and athleticism made him a better rebounder than the coaching staff had anticipated.
He entered the Jayhawks’ starting lineup on Jan. 13 against Oklahoma and from then on averaged 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, including a stretch during which he hit three 3-pointers in five of six games.
Furphy began to struggle at times in the later stages of the year as opposing defenses became more committed to running him off the line and targeting him on the other end of the court. Road games at Kansas State (where he was held to four points) and Baylor (where he sat for much of the second half after a tough day on defense) typified this period.
Furphy, who was one of the top freshmen in the Big 12 Conference, now faces a decision between returning to KU and pursuing a professional career. His prospects as a professional soared during his successful stretch in January and February and were tempered somewhat by the late-season struggles, but many projections still have him going in the late first round. He could choose to go through the NBA Draft process and then return to school.
The full scope of Furphy’s future will be known by the time the Olympics come around at the end of July, as the NBA Draft will be held from June 26-27 (the first time it will use a two-day format).
“On Furphy, I just think it’s really important that he’s brought into the Boomers program and culture,” Australia coach Brian Goorjian told ESPN Australia. “The worst case is he gets to see the Boomers and be around this group, but, also, we need a shooter. He does that.”
Australia is coming off its first-ever Olympic medal in men’s basketball at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where it got bronze as Patty Mills scored 42 points to help the Boomers defeat Slovenia. Mills is a member of this year’s squad, along with fellow NBA players like Dante Exum, Joe Ingles and Josh Giddey.
“We’re really excited at this opportunity. The consensus is that the tournament will be at an unseen level with the talent and international NBA star-power across the teams,” Goorjian said in a press release. “I will emphasise and instil with the group that we’re not aiming to match or replicate the style of game heading our way from other nations. Our goal is to beat them.”
