Just a few days after Johnny Furphy's viral poster dunk in summer league, former Indiana Pacers All-Star Roy Hibbert gave his two cents and made it clear that he "believes" in the second-year pro.
"Happy for this young man. Great play to finish at the rim. Made me think twice for a second if I would have gone up to block it. But I hope this isn’t the only highlight for his career. Keep building off of this. Use this momentum to build and not be a one hit wonder. I believe," Hibbert wrote on X.
In his rookie season, Furphy did not get many opportunities, which was expected. On the year, the Australian native averaged 7.6 minutes in 50 games and played a combined 36 minutes across 11 games in the playoffs.
Though he did not play much, he looked solid when he was on the court. The Pacers landed him early in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but there were some projections that had him going in the first round. Furphy has a lot of potential and can carve out a role with the Pacers. Whether he does or not remains to be seen, but he already has one fan in Hibbert, and he might have some others within the organization.
Johnny Furphy could see an increased role next season
With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf and Myles Turner now gone, the Pacers are likely going to be in for a gap year next season. They might still make some noise, especially in a weaker Eastern Conference, but another deep playoff run is unlikely. Instead, it seems that Indiana will use next season as a chance to give out some more playing time to their younger guys. This includes Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Jarace Walker. However, Furphy is another name to keep an eye on.
There is a lot to like about Furphy's game. The only problem is that fans have not seen too much of him yet. He can shoot, has great size at 6-foot-8, and is athletic. Furphy can help add a new dynamic to Indiana's offense, which makes him an intriguing prospect. Additionally, he is only 20 years old and has a lot of potential.
Furphy does have some flaws, particularly on the defensive end. However, he still has a lot of time to develop and could become a long-term fit for the Pacers (and it's not as if he is a complete non-factor on defense either).
As the Pacers prepare for what most expect to be a gap year, a lot of eyes will be on their young players. While his future in Indiana is not as up in the air as guys like Mathurin or Walker, Furphy should still have a great opportunity next season. With presumably a bigger role, he can showcase more of what he brings to the table. And once Haliburton comes back and the Pacers move back into title contention, he might be a key player to their success.