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Indiana Pacers GM eager to get to know former KU Jayhawks freshman Johnny Furphy

In advance of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Eastern Conference runner-up Indiana Pacers brought several college and international players to their practice facility in Indianapolis for interviews and workouts. Kansas freshman wing Johnny Furphy was not one of the hopefuls to visit in person with Pacers GM Chad Buchanan, coach Rick Carlisle or president Kevin Pritchard.

“We had very limited access to Johnny. He’s not going to know who I am or KP (former KU guard Pritchard). It’ll be an introductory meeting the first time we see him,” Buchanan said Thursday, referring to Furphy, who was selected by Indiana with the fifth pick of the second round. The Pacers saw no need to bring the 6-foot-8, 19-year-old Melbourne, Australia native to Indy for the simple reason they had no first-round picks in the two-round, 58-player draft which was held Wednesday and Thursday in New York. Furphy had been projected to hear his name called anywhere from late lottery to late first round. Instead he went ignored during Wednesday’s day one proceedings.

“You don’t necessarily get access to some of those guys who are probably not expecting to go where you are picking,” Buchanan explained. Despite not having met Furphy, the Pacers’ brass felt confident enough in trading up one slot — from No. 36 to 35 — when the Jayhawk remained available on day two. “We’re going based on a lot of intelligence we gather,” Buchanan told media at a post-draft news conference Thursday night. “We saw Johnny play a lot. When he was still available … at a certain point it doesn’t matter if you’ve met the kid or not. You like the talent.

You like what the (KU) coaches and staff and teammates are telling you about him. You feel comfortable with drafting him. At 36, where he was at talent-wise, with his age, it felt like a no-brainer for us.”