Johnny Furphy thinks his maturity, off-ball movement, and motivation will make him a good fit with Indiana Pacers

Furphy signed with Indiana on Saturday

Indiana Pacers rookie wing Johnny Furphy speaks with the media on July 6, 2024. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Pacers on SI) /

INDIANAPOLIS — Johnny Furphy didn't think he would fall out of the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but he did. It was a tough night for the Kansas product, who was a green room invite for the draft yet wasn't among the top 30 picks.

"It was tough," the Australian wing said. He was just one of two players with a green room invite that didn't get taken in round one — Utah's Kyle Filipowski was the other.

The Indiana Pacers were fortunate. They didn't own a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, so it was hard to imagine that Furphy would be available to them. Yet as their best pick approached — which was 36th overall entering the draft — the blue and gold had a shot at Furphy.

They wanted to seal the deal and traded up one spot from 36 to 35 to grab the 19-year old. Furphy remembers feeling relieved as he heard his name called at pick 35. He was heading to Indiana, and he had to keep an important perspective that despite falling in the draft, he's still in the NBA.

"A lot of emotions," Furphy said. "But definitely, it's motivation. Being in the green room, seeing everybody picked. But I think I've landed in a great, great spot."

The rookie forward averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in his lone collegiate season. His perimeter shooting was impressive as he shot 35.2% from deep and 64.2% on two-point looks. By the end of his freshman season, he was a starter.

His outside shooting had hot and cold stretches, and he needs to get stronger. Furphy has room to grow in the NBA — as does every young player who is drafted. But he likes the way he could fit with the blue and gold as a strong transition player and jump shooter.

"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 on Saturday. He signed a four-year contract earlier that day, a league source told Pacers on SI, that has a team option on the final season. "Just how fast they play. How different players impact the game. I can kind of envision myself doing that."

Indiana is comfortable with just about anyone on the court shooting threes. Furphy, for someone his age, can certainly get up outside shots. In fact, very few freshmen have ever matched his volume and shooting percentages — since 2008, Furphy is one of four freshmen who has taken nine threes per 100 possessions while making 35% of their threes and 63% of their twos. The other three are Corey Kispert (currently with the Washington Wizards), Jarron Cumberland (formerly with the Portland Trail Blazers), and Parker Friedrichsen (still at Wake Forest).

He moves well without the ball, something he attributes to always playing with older teammates. They usually had the rock more than Furphy, so he had to impact the game in other ways. Usually, that was moving away from the play and cutting.

"Super important. That's something I've had to do my whole life. Playing with a lot of different teams, learning how to play without the ball in my hands. That's something I feel like I do really well," Furphy said. "Being able to impact the game without the ball. Playing in transition, rebounding, cutting. That's something I can see myself doing."

Furphy didn't even realize the NBA was a possibility until within the last year. He recalled that one year ago, he was still searching for where he was going to play his college basketball. Now, he's with the Pacers, perhaps earlier than even he expected in his lifetime

"He shot the ball well, he played hard," Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo said of Furphy this weekend. Then, Pargo was asked about how Furphy will fit with the Pacers. "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," he said.

Bill Self, Furphy's college coach, liked Indiana as a landing spot, too. It may be difficult for the rookie wing to get minutes early in his career, but he will have plenty of time to develop and grow into his body with the blue and gold.

Summer league is the next challenge on the horizon for Furphy. He'll have his first chance to show scouts and executives that he was passed over too often in the draft. His first game is this coming Friday.

The young wing believes he matured a ton at Kansas, and that will help him in the pros. The Jayhawks program runs detailed, focused practices that help players get ready for the NBA. Furphy, as a result, was ready to go on Saturday, and he will look to prove people wrong throughout the summer.

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