The Roadmap to The 2024 NBA Draft (Part II)
Part II of the "Roadmap" series looks at the depths of 2024 NBA Draft class including plenty of names who could shake things up & present intriguing value.
Part I of the Roadmap series was just an introduction to the type of intrigue some of the “bigger” names of the 2024 NBA draft class can offer.
But now it’s time to take a LENGTHY look at another area that is drawing praise as of late.
The depth.
There’s legit depth in this class. As one NBA executive told me earlier in the year, “there’s talent in every draft class…now it’s our job to find it.” Those words echo loudly when it comes to the 2024 class.
Sure, we’re going to have plenty of questions over the next couple of months when it comes to the top of the class. Until the night of the draft lottery, chances are we will go back-and-forth when it comes to who “deserves” to go first overall.
But after the first pick of the 2024 NBA draft is decided, things are going to start getting extremely interesting.
The range of talent in this class is going to be more wide-open than ever. Projecting players from the 20th pick on is going to be a roll of the dice. With the new format this year, in which the second round will be on a separate day, you can expect that teams will be burning up the phones to navigate around the board.
Because of that realization, you’re going to need to be familiar with more prospects than ever.
That’s why you’re here.
That’s where Part II of the Roadmap spreads its wings.
Part I took an in-depth look at 29 prospects to get familiar with.
Part II breaks down another 34 names.
Let’s get into it.
PARTY CRASHERS
“He might not be completely ready… But if he stays another year, he’s probably not going to be in our range. Wait…actually he might just be climbing up boards NOW.”
Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas
Sales Pitch: High-motor, high IQ wing with a smooth stroke who is starting to put it together rapidly.
6’9”, 202 | Freshman (19)
9.2 PTS, 4.5 REB, 0.8 AST, 0.9 STL
52.7 FG%, 39.4 3P%, 75.0 FT% (26 G, 22.5 MIN)
One question continued to burn bright in the minds of NBA Draft fans monitoring the buzz ahead of the 2024 class…
Who the f**k is Johnny Furphy?
On a serious note, this has been one of the hottest names in the draft space over the last month or so. Is it well deserved? Or is this just evaluators and scouts trying to find a name to get excited about in a class that is considered “weak?”
It’s legit, ladies and gentlemen. Furphy has the goods to be a fascinating talent on the basketball court. To understand why the hype has suddenly exploded, we need to go backwards so we can proceed forward.
Furphy spent the last year overseas playing for Centre of Excellence (CoE), which is Australia’s prestigious basketball development program. After generating some buzz during the summer, Furphy made the decision to reclassify for the 2023 class and would join the Kansas Jayhawks for the 2023-24 NCAA season.
He’s listed at 6’9” and 202 pounds, but Furphy flies around the court like a butterfly soaring through the air. Furphy is living proof that yes, white men CAN jump. Even going back to his previous film in Australia, Furphy can take a defensive rebound and get out and go before throwing down on defenders with BAD intentions.
Furphy had plenty of fans in scouting circles before the year began. But the common theory was that the 6’9” wing would be a player who could really start to find their groove during his second or third year with the Jayhawks. Situation and timing can be everything for young talent. We’ve seen time and time again that things in the NBA draft space can change at the snap of a finger. That’s just what happened with the stock of Johnny Furphy.
After his first 14 games, Furphy wasn’t doing anything to send tidal waves throughout the draft space. He spent most of the time coming off the bench for the Jayhawks, averaging just 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 13.0 minutes. Eventually, Furphy would be permanently installed into the starting lineup.
In his last 12 games as a starter, Furphy has averaged 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. That features shooting splits of 55.6% from the field, 42.3% from three-point range, and 77.6% from the free throw line. Furphy is a legit weapon all over the court on the offensive side of the ball. He has a smooth-shooting stroke from outside and can get his shot off in a hurry. What’s the most intriguing about Furphy at this stage of his development is the off-ball movement.
Furphy is dangerous away from the ball. He understands how to find lapses in the defense as well as any prospect in this class. The talented freshman will fly out of nowhere for a massive offensive rebound before kicking it back out and immediately relocating for a wide-open three. It doesn’t just happen randomly. Furphy has a high motor that continues to be force-fed gasoline. He’s the type of player teammates would drool over having: a young talent who is willing to do the dirty work while also being able to shoot the cover off the ball.
The advanced numbers have come back just as impressive for Furphy. He’s currently ranked in the 99th percentile in halfcourt offense, 87th percentile in transition, and 98th percentile in spot-up opportunities.
Furphy will be viewed as a prospect who is spreading his wings at the perfect time. He could still be considered a “raw” talent, as his frame fills out. But teams are taking serious notice and his stock only continues to climb.
Kyshawn George, G/F, Miami
Sales Pitch: High-upside wing who can really shoot it & is oozing with two-way potential.
6’8”, 205 | Freshman (20)
7.6 PTS, 3.2 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL
42.1 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 77.8 FT% (27 G, 22.3 MIN)
There are always a couple of names that start to make a serious charge up NBA Draft boards near the second half of the cycle. Just like Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy (above), Miami Hurricanes freshman Kyshawn George has become one of the biggest risers as of late.
It’s gotten to the point in which most NBA personnel are expecting both Furphy and George to be potential lottery selections. The reasoning is due to their fantastic potential to be dynamic threats on the perimeter. George was originally born in Monthey, Switzerland, and spent the last four years playing overseas for Elan Chalon in France. While playing for the U21 team in 2022-23, George averaged 17.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, shooting 44.7% from the floor and 73.2% from the free throw line.
The 6’8” freshman wing was another name that evaluators kept a close eye on heading into the 2023-24 NCAA season. George, like Furphy, was expected to be a name that could really blossom into something unique after a couple of years of development in college. But that idea has started to shift in a positive way quickly.
Now, George is starting to buzz as a name that is skyrocketing up the ranks. It’s because of the tools and there’s a lot of them to get intrigued with. George has great length to go along with a beautiful stroke from outside. He can stretch the floor from well beyond the three-point line, and the fundamentals are sound. There are flashes of intriguing creation off the bounce as well. Kyshawn can put the ball on the deck and use his frame to cover ground before gliding to the hoop. The defense also has some upside, as Kyshawn understands how to use his length to his advantage on the court.
George spent the majority of the first half of the 2023-24 NCAA season coming off the bench. In 13 games as a reserve, he averaged 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 44.2% from the field and 42.4% from three. When inserted into the starting lineup, George started to showcase the potential. As a starter, Kyshawn has averaged 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 41.8% from the field and 40.9% from three.
There have been more “flashes” than consistency with George this year. With plenty of mouths to feed at Miami, the talented but raw freshman has had to find his way to get consistent touches. When things are rolling, it’s not hard to see why NBA teams are suddenly giddy about the lengthy wing. His most impressive stretch during the year came over a four-game span, in which Kyshawn averaged 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with shooting splits of 41.9/42.9/100.
Despite a smaller sample size, the advanced numbers trend in the right direction for George. Via Synergy, Kyshawn ranks in the 85th percentile in jump shots, 87th percentile in catch-and-shoot opportunities, and 72nd percentile in spot-up offense. Defensively, George ranks in the 98th percentile when defending the pick-and-roll ball handler.
There are plenty of legit reasons for teams to be buying in on the recent showing of Kyshawn George. He was once viewed as a name to keep on your watch list as a potential breakout candidate for his sophomore year. That narrative has shifted in a powerful way, as NBA teams are now viewing him as a potential “upside swing” candidate for the 2024 class. If George can finish the season on a strong note, it’s only going to boost his stock, making him a legit “party crasher” for this year’s class.
Kwame Evans Jr., F, Oregon
Sales Pitch: Raw forward with two-way versatility and fun defensive potential
6’9”, 200 | Freshman (19)
7.6 PTS, 5.0 REB, 1.2 AST, 1.3 STL, 1.1 BLK
43.5 FG%, 29.5 3P%, 82.5 FT% (27 G, 21.1 MIN)
Freshman forward Kwame Evans Jr. was another popular name in draft circles heading into the 2023-24 NCAA season. Evans is a lengthy forward at 6’9” who projects to hang his hat on the defensive side of the ball. The tools can get you excited in a hurry. Evans was viewed as a potential first-round selection in preseason ranks based on the idea that he could be a long-term developmental piece who could be unlocked to be a two-way weapon.
Evans spent his last two years in high school playing for powerhouse Montverde Academy. He was a five-star recruit, ranked 14th by ESPN and 18th by 247sports out of high school. Eventually, Evans would commit to Oregon, over offers from Arizona, Auburn, and Kentucky. The hope with Evans coming into the year was that the outside shot could continue to develop. There was nasty potential with his defensive versatility, and it seemed as if unlocking some consistency on offense would go a long way.
This is a name that will continue to be a true wildcard moving forward. It’s been a rollercoaster of a freshman year for Evans. When things are cooking, Evans looks like a potential Top 20 pick who is oozing with layers of untapped potential. He started off the year slow, averaging 4.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game after his first four games. During that same span, Kwame shot 30.4% from the field and 11.1% from three-point range in 21.0 minutes.
After Oregon dealt with some injuries, Evans was called upon to play a bigger role. Over his next 10 games, the talented freshman averaged 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.2 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game. The shooting splits during that stretch? 52.7% from the field, 29.6% from three and 88.2% from the charity stripe.
Kwame can fill up the box scores in a hurry, especially when it comes to his ability to make an impact on the defensive side of the floor. The prediction would be that Evans should test the waters to at least get feedback. But it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if teams start to get fascinated by the foundation of tools that can be unlocked. For a league that loves to fall head over heels for versatility, Evans could be a heck of a “project” for a patient organization.
Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina
Sales Pitch: Intriguing forward with two-way versatility who continues to trend upward rapidly
6’7”, 231 | Freshman (18)
9.8 PTS, 4.8 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.9 STL
59.4 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 65.1 FT% (21 G, 20.3 MIN)
There’s always a “party crasher” who seems to show up late. You can consider them “fashionably late,” but evaluators welcome them with open arms. The latest potential threat to storm up draft boards is South Carolina freshman forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
Murray-Boyles can check boxes at a rapid pace when you’re evaluating him as a prospect. He’s got good size at 6’7”, 231 pounds, and can beat you with his strength and quickness. The motor and overall feel for the game continue to pop on tape. The advanced number crowd will continue to bang the drum for CMB. If you’re into BPM (box plus-minus), the South Carolina freshman is going to find himself in plenty of fun conversations.
What Murray-Boyles has going for himself is the raw set of tools that are blossoming paired with extreme youth. He’s still 18 years old, and won’t turn 19 until weeks before the 2024 NBA draft.
He spent the first nine games of the year coming off the bench for South Carolina. In those outings, Muray-Boyles averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field.
Eventually, the freshman forward was inserted into the starting lineup. Over his first six starts, CMB averaged 7.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field.
Then…CMB started to crash the party.
Over his last six games, CMB has averaged 17.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 68.7% from the field and 83.3% from the charity stripe. That included a “statement” 31-point, seven-rebound performance from the freshman against Vanderbilt, that saw him go 14-of-17 from the field.
Murray-Boyles is still developing his versatility on the offensive side of the game. There’s going to need to be some work when it comes to him stretching the floor from deep, as he’s attempted just five three-pointers all year. There’s a lot of vibes of Kentucky Julius Randle when it comes to his type of offensive game. Yes, I’m aware of what a beast Randle was at Kentucky; let’s re-gain focus here. The tools are legit and should have scouts and NBA personnel licking their chops. If things continue to trend in this direction, Murray-Boyles will be another party crasher for the 2024 class.
PAY ATTENTION TO ME
“Could be the classic pick in which you nod your head on draft night in approval and then three months later start realizing how your team found a great addition.”