How Johnny Furphy can help the Indiana Pacers

Furphy was the 35th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

Indiana Pacers rookie wing Johnny Furphy warms up for a 2024 summer league outing against the Brooklyn Nets. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Tony East) /

The Indiana Pacers top pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was Kansas wing Johnny Furphy, and the 19-year old has shown some promise for the blue and gold already.

During summer league play, Furphy displayed the skills that, if they translate to the pros, will make him a useful NBA player. He got up threes, cut effectively, defended well, and made few mistakes. Even with inaccurate shooting, it was clear that the Australian rookie knew where he could help his team.

"He's young. We have an opportunity to get our hands on him and have him grow in our organization... he shoots it pretty good already. He has great size, great instincts," Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo said of Furphy.

The 35th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft had a terrific second outing during summer league play. When he focused on rim pressure and was patient with his shooting, he was terrific. "I felt more confident, definitely. Just kind of feeling out the pace of the game a little bit more," he said.

Nex up for Furphy is real NBA action. He likely won't be in the rotation for the blue and gold this year, but he is motivated to be an excellent pro, and one that can elevate the blue and gold. On the wing, there are many avenues to being a valuable contributor.

The 19-year old showed many of them during his time with the Jayhawks in the NCAA ranks. His strengths appear to match Indiana's play style, and as a taller player who can shoot the ball effectively from deep, it's easy to see his possible routes to success in the NBA.

"I think the Pacers run a super exciting play style. Their team dynamic is something I can envision myself fitting in really well," Furphy said of the Pacers.

In general, according to Synergy Sports, Furphy was in the 94th percentile when it came to efficiency on offense last year. He scored 1.113 points per possession, a tidy figure — and proof that his game could build out from an intelligent offensive style.

More specifically, Furphy shined in many key areas in Bill Self's program. He averaged 1.29 points per possession in transition, good for the 84th percentile among NCAA players. For the Pacers, that will be vital — they are among the fastest playing teams in the league.

Indiana also encourages three-point shooting, and Furphy has already shown during summer league that he can keep up from a volume perspective. in terms of accuracy, he shot 35.2% at Kansas — and he was lethal on spot ups. When he had time and space to execute a spot-up three, he scored 1.33 points per possession, good for the 98th percentile. He was terrific when shooting off of little movement or without dribbling.

From the corners, Furphy was money. Per CBBAnalytics, he knocked down over 40% of his attempts from both corners. That's an important shot, and he's got it down. In general, he was effective on both guarded and unguarded jumpers.

Furphy's game did require handing the ball some, especially as he moved into the starting lineup during the season. He showed some talent as an initiator, especially when lifting from the corners, and he uses his size to finish well at the rim. The young wing shot 74.2% at the tin, a skill that he needs to translate.

Some Johnny Furphy plays as the pick-and-roll handler at Kansas: pic.twitter.com/p9XoPZSMQQ

— Tony East (@TonyREast) August 28, 2024

On offense, Furphy showed enough variety for the Pacers to be encouraged that he can do a little bit of everything in the NBA. It may take time — he didn't start his NBA path until late last summer. But it didn't take him long with the Jayhawks to show what he can do.

On defense, like on offense, Furphy's flashes in pick-and-roll situations were impressive. He and the Jayhawks allowed 0.633 points per possession when he defended ball handlers in those instances. Those plays happen often in the NBA, so Furphy will have chances to slow them down.

The Australian wing grabbed nearly five rebounds per game, and his advanced stats were all solid. His true shooting percentage was over 60%, his turnover rate was low, and his steal and block rates were both adequate. There's a reason he was projected to be picked in the first round.

Furphy will spend much of his first season watching and learning. He will likely play in the G League often — lottery pick Jarace Walker did so last season. It's a fine route for a developing wing.

But when the Melbourne native does contribute for the Pacers — either as a rookie or in the future — his varied offensive game and length-based defensive skills will help him have an impact. On a four-year deal, Indiana has plenty of time to develop their new rookie.

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