Kansas basketball: Initial reactions to the Arterio Morris suspension

2. Johnny Furphy might see an increased role in his absence

Australian phenom Johnny Furphy wowed scouts at the NBA Academy Games this summer. After garnering attention from several blue-blood programs, he decided to reclass up to 2023 and commit to Kansas. With the recent news of Morris being suspended, some playing time might have just opened up for him.

He is a 6-foot-8 forward, so why would he benefit from the absence of another player? Well, minutes have to go somewhere, and Bill Self will need to experiment with new lineups if Morris does indeed wind up departing from the program.

Self himself said that Furphy is a versatile talent who can play anywhere from the two-guard to power forward. While it might not be his natural position, it wouldn’t be the first time the Hall of Famer rolled out a skinny 6-foot-8 freshman as a shooting guard. Gradey Dick was one of the best freshmen in the conference serving that role.

Furphy is an NBA hopeful who will need to prove he is capable of many things on the hardwood. Being able to change positions would be a perfect way to display that.