Knicks Have Draft Option in Kansas Guard
Kansas forward Johnny Furphy was contemplating whether or not to stay in the 2024 NBA Draft, and it appears the New York Knicks could have the chance to select him.
Furphy, 19, made the Big 12 All-Freshman team with the Jayhawks this past season and officially declared his intentions to remain in the draft earlier this week. Now, he could be an option for the Knicks with one of their late first-round picks.
"Although Furphy left the door open for a return to Kansas, the likelihood he hears his name called in the first round may be enough to keep him in the draft -- his youth, athleticism and shooting potential give him pretty real upside, provided he can get up to speed on the defensive end," ESPN writes.
Furphy has the size, length and shooting to be a strong NBA player. His defensive shortcomings can be fixed with the right coaching, and Tom Thibodeau could be the exact person he needs to help him improve. This likely means that Furphy won't be playing meaningful minutes for the Knicks anytime soon, but his potential should be enough for New York to consider him if he's available when the team is on the clock.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.