Australian young gun Johnny Furphy has made it to the NBA, selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 35th pick in the draft.
The 19-year-old former junior footballer joins the world’s top basketball league after just one year in the US college system with the University of Kansas.
Furphy was actually selected by the San Antonio Spurs, but was then on-traded to the Pacers who had pick 36 (and used a ‘cash consideration’ to grab the Melbourne teenager).
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Furphy’s selection followed former Perth Wildcats import Alex Sarr being taken by the Washington Wizards with the second pick and the Illawarra Hawks’ American youngster AJ Johnson joining the Milwaukee Bucks with the 23rd pick.
Sarr, who eschewed college to join the NBL Next Stars program, was in the mix to be taken No.1 but the Atlanta Hawks opted to select his fellow Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher.
“We grew up together, competing against each other, and now we are here in New York for the draft and it’s one day to realise our dream, you know?” Risacher said of his French connection with Sarr before the draft.
“This is special.”
Sarr choked back tears after he was drafted as he paid tribute to his older brother Olivier Sarr, who went undrafted in 2021 before signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Furphy received an exclusive invite to the green room for the first round of the draft but had to wait until the second round the following day to be picked.
Furphy paid tribute to his fellow Australian basketballers with a custom-made suit for the big occasion.
“I will be wearing a suit with all the Australia NBA players, who have played in the NBA and my name will be highlighted,” he told 7NEWS before the draft.
The selection puts the young gun in line to secure instant wealth.
Last year’s 35th pick got a partially guaranteed $US8 million ($A12m) deal over four years and there were similar numbers for those selected either side.
Furphy’s brother Joe is an AFL player with Geelong but has yet to play a senior game.
Joe was granted leave by the club to join his family in New York.
Furphy — who played Australian Rules in the Yarra Junior Football League for Fitzroy Juniors — believes his footy helped him throughout his NBA career.
“I played until I was about 16. Playing that sport definitely helped my basketball being able to absorb contact,” he said.
Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze is already a massive fan of Furphy.
“(He is) a guy that hasn’t come out of nowhere, but it’s been a meteoric rise for someone now considered a first-round draft pick,” he told 7NEWS.