Should Kansas’ Johnny Furphy and Kevin McCullar expect invitations to the NBA Draft green room?

ESPN.com’s latest NBA mock draft, released two days after Wednesday’s early withdrawal deadline, lists former Kansas guard Johnny Furphy as a candidate to receive an invitation to sit in the prestigious green room on June 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. , New York.

Analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo predict that Furphy will be selected by the Orlando Magic with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2024 draft. Invitations to the Green Room are typically offered to likely lottery picks (Nos. 1-14) as well as likely first-round selections.

Furphy at that time should be the first of the two Jayhawks to enter the draft, which this year spans two evenings: the 26th and 27th.

ESPN.com has former KU guard Kevin McCullar the final pick in the first round to the Boston Celtics. It’s possible a green field if the San Antonio native can maintain or improve at that spot after individual workouts with teams over the next two weeks.

ESPN.com has Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher as the first overall pick to Atlanta, followed by Alex Sarr (Washington), Reed Sheppard (Houston), Stephon Castle (San Antonio), Matas Buzelis (Detroit), Rob Dillingham (Charlotte) , Donovan Clingan (Portland), Tidjane Salaun (San Antonio), Dalton Knecht (Memphis) and Nikola Topic (Utah) in the top 10.

Others ahead of Furphy, starting at 11th, are Ron Holland (Chicago), Devin Carter (Oklahoma City), Ja’Kobe Walter (Sacramento), Cody Williams (Portland), Zach Edey (Miami), Jared McCain (Philadelphia). and Tristan Da Silva (Los Angeles Lakers).

Woo and Givony of ESPN.com note that Sacramento could take Furphy at No. 13 overall in the lucrative lottery.

“Furphy’s decision to turn pro was announced Wednesday as he considered a return to Kansas, but he ultimately felt comfortable enough with his prospect status to remain in the 2024 draft,” wrote analyst Woo of ESPN.com. “Furphy has been a bit divisive from team to team, with some scouts very intrigued by his shooting, size and physical abilities at his age, and others concerned about his defense and the fact that it may take him some time to contribute.

“This is a situation that should be confirmed in the coming weeks, as Furphy schedules additional training with the teams drafted in the first round.”

Of McCullar, Woo wrote: “Boston is working a wide range of prospects for this pick at No. 30, as he carries weight on a championship-caliber roster. They have depth at every position, but the perimeter depth behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could be an area to target. Season-ending injuries spoiled McCullar’s season at Kansas a bit, but a strong first month helped reframe his NBA preparation and moved him from being a two-way contract candidate to what will likely be guaranteed money on draft night.

ON3.com’s James Fletcher posted a mock draft after Wednesday’s withdrawal deadline. McCullar was expected to be taken by the Knicks with the 25th overall pick. Furphy was listed as the 27th overall pick in the first round against Minnesota.

SI.com’s latest mock draft released after Wednesday’s deadline had Furphy the third pick in Round 2 to Milwaukee and McCullar the fourth pick in Round 2 to Portland.

Bleacher Reports’ mock draft after the deadline had Furphy taken No. 29 overall by the Utah Jazz and McCullar at No. 35 by San Antonio. In total, there are 30 picks in the first round and 28 in the second round.

Of Furphy, Bleacher Report analyst Jonathan Wasserman wrote: “Johnny Furphy’s fairly simplistic and translatable combination of positional size, shooting and game finishing might be enough for a team in the 20s. But his athletic testing results were disappointing at the combine, and a 189-pound frame at his size suggests it will take him at least a year to be physically ready for NBA minutes.

Of McCullar, Wasserman wrote: “Kevin McCullar continues to sit out with a knee injury that has kept him out of the NCAA tournament. He skipped drills, athletic testing and scrimmages at the combine, even though scouts were unlikely to learn anything new about the 23-year-old who attended the same event last year. The Jayhawks ultimately looked like a different team without him, a testament to his impact and numerous contributions in getting Kansas on offense, finishing plays, making shots and defending the opponent’s top wings. Scouts are buying his versatility and defense for a supporting role in the NBA, although he will need to avoid any medical report issues.