The Kansas Jayhawks have sent a considerable amount of talent to the pros over the years. A KU player has been selected in 13 of the past 14 NBA Drafts. They should have at least one player representing the program during the draft in June.
In Bleacher Report's most recent NBA mock draft, scouting analyst Jonathan Wasserman has two Jayhawks being selected with back-to-back picks. All-Big 12 First Team honoree Kevin McCullar goes 22nd overall to the New York Knicks in this hypothetical scenario, and freshman guard Johnny Furphy goes 23rd overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wasserman mentioned some of McCullar's top skills, such as his perimeter defense and finishing around the rim. He also cited the knee injury that held him out of the NCAA Tournament.
""Kansas ruled Kevin McCullar Jr. out for the NCAA tournament before it started, and now the conversation heading into predraft revolves around his knee. The Jayhawks looked like a different team without him, which speaks to his impact and wide-ranging contributions getting Kansas into offense, finishing plays, making shots and defending opponents' top wings. Scouts buy his versatility and defense for a supporting NBA role, though he'll have to avoid any medical report concerns predraft.""Jonathan Wasserman on Kevin McCullar Jr.
Furphy's scouting report was slightly more positive, with Wasserman saying he likes his outlook as a long-term prospect.
""The strengths on Johnny Furphy's scouting report popped against Samford in Kansas' opening NCAA tournament game. He buried three spot-up threes, drove past closeouts and made plays in transition. His reliance on shooting and play-finishing was evident against Gonzaga, though he was still able to hit a pair of threes and show some defensive toughness. NBA teams will ultimately have a clear picture of his future role and value, with Furphy's shotmaking and athleticism built for a stretch-forward, off-ball role.""Jonathan Wasserman on Johnny Furphy
McCullar averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in the 2023-24 season, leading the Big 12 in scoring in his second year at KU. Furphy averaged 9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 33 games, but he saw an uptick in production when he was inserted into the starting lineup during conference play.
While McCullar is out of college eligibility, Furphy still has a decision to make between returning to school or departing for the NBA. He is expected to test the waters but might have hurt his draft stock with several poor outings toward the season's latter stages.
If Furphy is selected directly after McCullar, they would become the first Jayhawks since the Morris twins in 2011 to be taken with consecutive picks in the NBA Draft.