Why Johnny Furphy returning to Kansas basketball is highly doubtful for the Jayhawks

After a busy offseason for Bill Self, the Kansas basketball team is heading into the 2024-25 as one of the favorites to take home a national title. The additions of transfer portal standouts AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, and Rylan Griffen along with the returns of Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams, and Dajuan Harris have put KU in early conversations to win it all.

While the offseason has, for the most part, wrapped up, Jayhawk fans are awaiting the decision of one player. Johnny Furphy has yet to reveal whether he will come back to Lawrence or keep his name in the NBA Draft pool. The 6-foot-9 guard is currently testing the waters. He has until May 31 to make up his mind, but the likelihood of him returning is severely low. 

A Johnny Furphy return to Kansas basketball is all but off the table

The coaching staff has made it clear with its flurry of offseason moves that the Jayhawks do not expect Furphy to return. Coach Self made it clear at the team's banquet dinner that he was not going to wait around for his decision, and he found his replacement in Griffen. 

There are several reasons why Furphy should and won't come back. It is one of the weakest draft classes in recent history, and he is still projected to hear his name called in the first round this summer. Another season in Lawrence would not boost his draft stock enough to the point where he will leave the 20s-30s range.

In addition to that, Furphy is an Australian native. International players do not receive NIL the same way American citizens do. He can only collect name, image, and likeness benefits when he is back at home in Melbourne, which makes it an all-around tricky situation. He would be leaving millions of guaranteed dollars on the table just to develop his game further — something he could still do in the NBA or G League.

Furphy showed plenty of promise with his above-average athleticism and jump shot as a freshman. But despite his potential on the court, it simply does not make sense for him to pass up his lifelong dream to risk injuries or other factors that could come into play.