Former Kansas Jayhawk Johnny Furphy Poised for Breakout Season for Indiana Pacers

One former Kansas guard is making his presence felt in NBA preseason play as Johnny Furphy continues to demonstrate how high his ceiling might be for the Indiana Pacers this upcoming season.

In two games for the Pacers this preseason, Furphy is averaging 10 points and 3 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field. He’s also 7-of-8 from the free throw line and averages 15.5 minutes per game.

The highlight of his preseason play came in the form of an acrobatic dunk over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Malevy Leons. The play had the entire Pacers bench and several spectators on their feet.

JOHNNY. FURPHY.

😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/UJEYuZhXyn
— NBA (@NBA) October 11, 2025

Furphy received a Dunk Score of 110.7 for his memorable slam. The NBA Stats team introduced the Dunk Score last year as a way to grade one of basketball’s most popular moves.

Pacers fans and NBA fans across the country are starting to become accustomed to seeing the high-flying, 20-year-old Australian shooting guard make opposing players look silly.

Back in July, Furphy had arguably the best dunk of the entire NBA Summer League when he threw down a one-handed hammer over Chicago Bulls rookie Noa Essengue that turned into a viral social media sensation. Then earlier this month, the Pacers put out a video showing Furphy going airborne over 7-foot-1 center Jay Huff in practice.

KU fans are very familiar with the athleticism Furphy has been showing off after they witnessed him blossom into a second-round NBA Draft pick in 2024 after just one season in Lawrence. Many Jayhawk fans wished he had stuck around for his sophomore year, but those same fans should be excited for the potential he’s displaying heading into his second season in the NBA.

Furphy looks like he could absolutely contribute to this year’s Pacers team, especially with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles tendon he brutally suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against Oklahoma City in June.

Don’t expect him to be a starter right away, but if he could provide 8-10 points off the bench, knock down a few open threes, and add a few more of his signature dunks, that would be more than enough to earn him more playing time as the season goes on.

The sky’s the limit for this former Jayhawk as he looks to make a name for himself in the NBA this year.

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