NBA Mock Draft has Kansas basketball standout Johnny Furphy sneaking into top 20

Johnny Furphy impressed NBA scouts with his length, athleticism, and outside shooting during his first and only year with the Kansas basketball program. The 6-foot-9 wing has garnered attention from multiple teams across the league in the 20-30 range in this month's draft.

He didn't enter the season on anyone's professional radar, but people are clearly excited about his upside. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has Furphy mocked No. 18 overall to the Orlando Magic, just a few picks away from the lottery.

Johnny Furphy projected to go top 20 in The Athletic mock draft

"He was up and down this past season at Kansas, but earned Bill Self’s trust, which is not easy for freshmen to do. He averaged nine points and five rebounds while finishing well at the rim and shooting 35 percent from 3. He ticks a lot of the boxes Orlando president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman tends to seek, namely positional size, a strong work ethic and character. His ability to shoot at his size would also be a nice wrinkle, and maybe the Magic can bring back fellow Australian Joe Ingles (who has a $11 million team option) to help ease Furphy’s rookie transition."

- The Athletic's Sam Vecenie

Despite a midseason shooting slump, Furphy shot 35.2% from beyond the arc while averaging 9.0 points per game across 33 contests. He joined the starting lineup during conference play and made the Jayhawks significantly better. Even as a 19-year-old, he should be able to step in and provide some valuable minutes as a rookie.