Former Kansas shooting guard/small forward Johnny Furphy, who played limited minutes in 50 games during his rookie season with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, will be part of the team’s NBA 2K26 Summer League roster, the organization has announced.
Furphy, a 6-foot-9, 200-pound, 20-year-old former second round draft pick from Melbourne, Australia, has been working out in Indy since the opening of summer league camp on Friday. The Pacers will meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer league opener for both teams at 4 p.m. Central Time on Thursday in Las Vegas.
After that, Indiana will play Oklahoma City at 4:30 p.m., Saturday; Chicago at 5 p.m. Monday and New York at 3:30 p.m. on July 17. The date, time and opponent for game 5 will be decided based on results of the first four games.
“I am definitely feeling more comfortable,” Furphy told reporters Friday, referring to his second summer league experience.
He was a hit in summer league last year in Vegas, averaging 14.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.0 assists while averaging 29.0 minutes a game in four of Indiana’s five games. The team, however, went a disappointing 1-4.
“It’s very different (this summer compared to last),” he said. “I was coming into a new environment with new teammates, new coaches. You’re getting so much staring at you (in the face) at one time in the span of a few weeks. I now know what to expect.”
Furphy, the 35th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, will be joined on the Pacers’ summer roster by 2025 second-round picks Kameron Jones and Taelon Peter and two-way contract players RayJ Dennis, Enrique Freeman and Quenton Jackson. Others on the roster: Steven Ashworth, Robert Baker, Buddy Boeheim, R.J. Felton, Josiah Jordan-James, Samson Johnson, Taelon Peter, Hunter Maldonado, Keisei Tominaga and Phillip Wheeler.
Pacers assistant Isaac Yacob is the squad’s summer league head coach.
“The coach (Yacob) has challenged me to take on a leadership role,” said Furphy, who turns 21 on Dec. 7. “He wants me to be more vocal in teaching the other guys how we play. I won’t lie. Even though they (some players on the summer roster) are older than me, them being the rookie is kind of strange. I definitely know how they feel. I’m going to try and help them as much as possible. It’s a challenge for me but I like it.”
He says he hasn’t “really had time to reflect,” on the happenings of his rookie campaign. The Pacers made it all the way to Game Seven of the NBA Finals, their season ending on June 22.
“It feels like it just ended. It was such a long year. I broke it up, October to December, then what happened after that. It feels so long ago. I’ve not reflected too much yet. It’s a positive,” he added of the season lasting so long. “A lot of guys have had a break and had to work their way up to game shape. Obviously we haven’t had a break. I’m feeling really good at the moment.”
Furphy averaged 2.1 points a game in 50 games played during the regular season. He logged 7.6 minutes in those games. He played just 36 minutes total in 11 playoff games, scoring two points with six rebounds.
Furphy also played in 10 NBA G League contests with the Indiana Mad Ants in 2024-25, averaging 14.3 points and 9.7 rebounds a game.
“I think I grew a lot since I got here in terms of how much load there is with the schedule. Now I know what to expect, 70 games, all the travel. I try to be a sponge,” said Furphy, who averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds a game in 33 games during his one-and-done season at KU (2023-24).
During summer league he will try to “be as consistent as possible with my shot,” noted Furphy, who hit 38% of his shots, including 30% from 3 as a rookie. “Obviously work on my body, execute what I do best and see how it goes.”
Furphy will be beginning the second year of his four-year rookie deal with the Pacers worth $8,589,485 (with $6,102,490 guaranteed). The Pacers have a club option on Furphy’s contract for the 2027-28 season.
“The Pacers will be hoping the 20-year-old looks like one of those ‘too good for Summer League’ type of players early on,” wrote Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle praised Furphy several times this past season and postseason.
“Everything about him is pure. He doesn’t have a selfish bone in his body. Does everything hard. Does everything with the right spirit. His overall vibe is a winning vibe,” Carlisle said.
Other Jayhawks competing in NBA summer league in Vegas? Three undrafted players: Hunter Dickinson (New Orleans Pelicans), Dajuan Harris (Charlotte Hornets) and Zeke Mayo (Washington Wizards).