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Johnny Furphy
Australian basketball player (born 2004) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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John William "Johnny" Furphy (born 8 December 2004) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. Furphy was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft before being traded to the Pacers.
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Early life
Furphy was born on 8 December 2004 in Melbourne, Victoria, and grew up in the suburb of Clifton Hill.[1][2] From an early age, he aspired to earn a college scholarship in the United States, a goal he expressed while in fifth grade.[3] He attended Maribyrnong College, where he was a member of the Maribyrnong Sports Academy, an elite sports program at the school.[3] Furphy enrolled as a basketball athlete and Year 7 student in 2017 and graduated in 2022.[4] During high school, he was a multi-sport athlete, competing in basketball, cricket, and football.[1] He stated that football served as his secondary option if his basketball career did not materialize.[5]
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Semi-professional career
During his teenage years, Furphy competed in various semi-professional basketball leagues across Australia.[6] He played in the Big V for two seasons from 2021 to 2022. During the 2021 season, he played for the Hawthorn Magic in the Championship division, appearing in just two games before the season was cancelled midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That season, he averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.[7] The following year, he started the 2022 season playing for the Melbourne University Black Angels in the Division One, appearing in nine games and averaging 12.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.[8] Midway through that season, Furphy relocated to Canberra to join the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (CoE), competing in the NBL1 for two seasons from 2022 to 2023.[9] Furphy appeared in three games for the CoE in July of the 2022 season and remained with the team for the 2023 season, during which he averaged 14.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game over 12 games.[10][11]
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College career
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On 3 August 2023, Furphy committed to play college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks in the United States over offers from Connecticut, Duke, Gonzaga, and North Carolina.[11][12] Shortly after his commitment, he participated in a training session that included scrimmages and basketball drills with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL) before relocating to Kansas.[13][14]
On 6 November 2023, Furphy made his collegiate debut as a true freshman in the season opener against North Carolina Central, recording six points and five rebounds in a 99–56 victory.[15] He made his first career start on 20 November against Chaminade, contributing four points and two rebounds in an 83–56 win.[16] Furphy delivered his best collegiate performance on 22 January 2024, posting season highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 74–69 victory over Cincinnati.[17] He played his final college game on 23 March during the Round of 32 in the 2024 NCAA tournament, scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds in an 89–68 loss to Gonzaga.[18] The team finished the season with a 23–11 record. Furphy played a significant role as a reserve wing,[19] appearing in 33 games and starting 19 of them. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field.[20] His performance earned him a selection to the All-Big 12 freshman team.[21]
After the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Furphy declared for the 2024 NBA draft on 16 April 2024, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[17][21] He later received an invitation to the draft green room.[22] Having grown up as an NBA fan, particularly admiring LeBron James and supporting the Philadelphia 76ers,[13] he expressed excitement about the opportunity to fulfill his long-standing dream of competing on the same court as his basketball idols.[2]
Professional career
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Indiana Pacers / Mad Ants (2024–present)
2024–25
On 27 June 2024, Furphy was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft. Later that same night, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the 36th overall pick, Juan Núñez, and cash considerations.[23] He signed a four-year contract worth $8.59 million with the Pacers on 6 July.[24][25]
Furphy made his National Basketball Association (NBA) debut on 25 October 2024, at the age of 19 in a game against the New York Knicks. He entered the game late in the fourth quarter with 4:59 remaining, while the Pacers were trailing 113–83. Furphy did not score in the game, missing all three of his field goal attempts and one three-point attempt. The Pacers ultimately lost the game 123–98.[26][27] During the 2024–25 season, he primarily served as a substitute to provide rest for starters and to gain playing time in the closing minutes of games with decided outcomes.[6] On 11 April 2025, Furphy recorded a career-high 17 points, six rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes played during a 129–115 loss to the Orlando Magic.[28]
During his rookie season, Furphy was frequently assigned to the Indiana Mad Ants,[29] the Pacers' NBA G League affiliate, moving between the Mad Ants and the Pacers' bench.[6] He made his G League debut on 7 January 2025 against the Maine Celtics.[30] In 12 games for the Mad Ants during the 2024–25 NBA G League season, he averaged 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.[10]
2025–26
Furphy began the 2025–26 season with limited playing time due to injuries affecting his left foot and ankle that started during the preseason.[31][32] On 3 November 2025, during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he sustained a sprain to his left ankle after falling while driving to the basket in the fourth quarter. Following the game, which ended in a 117–115 loss, he was seen leaving the locker room using crutches.[31][33]
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Player profile
Furphy is 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) tall and weighs 200 pounds (91 kg).[1] He has indicated that he models his playing style on that of Mikal Bridges.[13]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
Playoffs
College
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Personal life
Furphy comes from a family with a strong sporting background. He is the youngest of three siblings. His father, Richard Furphy, played amateur football for the University Blues in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), where he also served as team captain. Furphy's mother, Liza Alpers, was an elite diver who competed at the national level. His eldest sibling and brother, Joe Furphy, played semi-professional football for the Geelong Cats in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 2024 season as part of their reserve team.[34][35] Furphy's older sister, Holly Furphy, is a professional soccer player for Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women.[1][3][5]
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References
External links
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