How did Kansas basketball’s players fare during first day of NBA Draft Combine drills?

Kansas basketball is expected to have at least one player selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft next month. Kevin McCullar and Johnny Furphy are projected top-30 picks after successful seasons with the Jayhawks. McCullar was the Big 12's leading scorer, while Furphy emerged as a key contributor by midseason and impressed professional scouts.

Both players accepted invites to the NBA Draft Combine and began participating in drills yesterday. They took measurements and completed some shooting practice. Stay to find out how the two Jayhawks fared during the combine.

Johnny Furphy, Kevin McCullar participate in day one of draft combine

The first thing to note is that neither player participated in the scrimmages with other prospects. McCullar played in the scrimmages last year, but he is still recovering from a knee injury and could have received negative feedback. Typically, skipping on scrimmages means the player is not trying to jeopardize their draft stock.

They might not have seen in-game action, but one player did impress scouts in individual drills. Furphy made 12 straight 3-pointers during outside shooting practice. He shot 35.2% from beyond the arc this past campaign but showed promise by shooting over defenders.

Measurements were also taken at the combine. Furphy measured in at 6'7.50" without shoes, while McCullar was listed at 6'5.25" without shoes. Considering Furphy was listed as 6'9 at KU and McCullar 6'6, those measurements will not help their draft stock much. McCullar did have a solid 6'9 wingspan and an 8'7 standing reach.

The combine will go on for the next week and both players should participate in more drills as it progresses. Furphy then has until May 29 to determine whether he will return to school for another year or stay in the draft.