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Late NBA draft twist as Melbourne prospect realises dream, former United player chosen with final pick
By Jon Pierik and Roy Ward
It may not have been quite as he had expected, but Johnny Furphy’s NBA dream has been realised: The Melbourne-born shooter landing with the Indiana Pacers after a draft-night trade with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday morning (AEST).
A day after he was a shock first-round omission, Furphy, 19, had his name called with the 35th overall pick by the Spurs, where briefly he was to be a member of a franchise headlined by French sensation Victor Wembanyama. However, the Pacers then traded the 36th overall pick and cash considerations to the Spurs for the 35th overall selection, meaning Indiana received Furphy.
Australian basketballer Johnny Furphy at the NBA Draft.Credit: AP
“It was just very uncertain. It’s such a wide range, with so many moving pieces. It was tough but, at the end of the day, it’s wherever the best fit is,” Furphy told The Kansas City Star.
The Pacers had acquired the 36th pick in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline in February.
Furphy, from Clifton Hill, had to wait until the fifth selection on Friday for his name to be heard, coming on a day when several second-round picks were traded.
He faces a major challenge in immediately making the Pacers’ roster. They boast considerable talent, led by All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and they made the Eastern Conference finals this season. The Pacers can develop Furphy through the G League with their affiliated Indiana Mad Ants, or he may play overseas.
Second-round picks can be offered guaranteed or non-guaranteed deals of up to four seasons or “stashed” overseas to develop their game.
The NBA minimum wage was $US1.6 million this past season so that would be around the starting point for a contract, although some second-round picks who become stars can quickly qualify for bigger deals due to the shorter terms of their contracts.
Rather than having his name read out by NBA commissioner Adam Silver at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where the first round was held, Furphy had his name called by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum at ESPN’s studio in New York. The Furphy family opted to remain in their New York hotel room, rather than head to the studio.
Furphy’s father Richard said it had been a “tough” couple of days, for there had been “firm feedback” his son would be taken in the first round.
“We were in a hotel room. We didn’t go because we’d sort of had enough of it, the whole ceremony, so we were in a room with his agent and his mum and a few other people,” Richard Furphy said.
This was the first year the draft had been split over two days.
Richard Furphy said that Pacers coach Rick Carlisle had told his son by phone that the franchise was “hot on him for a while”.
The Maribyrnong Sports Academy alum, a 206-centimetre wing who didn’t make a Victorian team until he was 17, had expected to hear his name called anywhere from No. 9 with Memphis to No. 27 with Minnesota in the first round, with Orlando (18) and the New York Knicks (24) tipped by the draft experts to be particularly keen on the Kansas Jayhawk.
Despite being invited to the “green room”, suggesting he was to be selected, Furphy joined Duke star Kyle Filipowski in having to sit and watch as 30 other players heard their names read out on Thursday (AEST). Filipowski had his name called by the Utah Jazz on Friday.
Furphy’s fall to the second round is a major blow to the instant riches of about $3 million - for next season alone - he would have enjoyed had he been a first-round pick. However, the league is littered with players and stars, such as three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, who were taken in the second round.
The Spurs took Juan Nunez, a Spanish point guard, with the 36th selection. They had snared guard Stephon Castle with their first pick, fourth overall.
Furphy finished his freshman season having started 19 out of 33 games while averaging nine points, 4.9 rebounds and one assist.
NBL Next Star Alex Sarr, right, poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted by the Washington Wizards.Credit: AP
His name remained on the list of best available talent by host broadcaster ESPN through the final third of first-round selections, but he continued to be overlooked.
Meanwhile, the NBA could have its first father-son pairing after the Los Angeles Lakers took Bronny James with pick 55, giving him the chance to play with his four-time championship father, LeBron.
Bronny put up underwhelming numbers in his one season with USC, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals while shooting 36.6 per cent from the field and 26.7 per cent from deep. He also missed the opening month’s action after suffering a cardiac arrest during a pre-season practice.
Melbourne United Next Star Ariel Hukporti was selected with the last pick in the draft and wound up with the New York Knicks, via a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The German centre averaged 8.4 points, 1.5 blocks and seven rebounds with United last season and has spent three seasons with United as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program.
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