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]
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]
Furphy made his collegiate debut as a true freshman in the season opener against North Carolina Central on 6 November 2023, recording six points and five rebounds in a 99–56 victory.[15] He made his first career start against Chaminade on 20 November, contributing four points and two rebounds in an 83–56 win.[16] Furphy delivered his best collegiate performance against Cincinnati on 22 January 2024, posting season highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 74–69 victory.[17] He played his final college game during the Round of 32 in the 2024 NCAA tournament, tallying nine points and seven rebounds in an 89–68 loss to Gonzaga on 23 March.[18] Kansas finished their season with a 23–11 record, during which Furphy played a significant role as a reserve wing.[19] He played in 33 games with 19 starts, averaging 9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field.[20] Furphy’s stellar rookie performance earned him selection to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.[21]
After 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, having been projected to be an early-round draft pick.[22] Having grown up as an NBA fan, particularly admiring LeBron James and rooting for the Philadelphia 76ers,[13] Furphy expressed excitement about fulfilling his long-held childhood dream of competing on the same court as his basketball idols.[2]
Professional career
Indiana Pacers (2024–present)
2024–25
Furphy was selected 35th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft on 27 June. 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. Despite his efforts, 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] Months after his initial debut, Furphy delivered his best NBA performance against the Orlando Magic on 11 April 2025, in what was the second-last game of the Pacers' regular season. Despite a 129–115 loss, he scored a career-high 17 points with six rebounds and three assists in a then-career-high 32 minutes played.[28] Furphy finished the 2024–25 season having played in 50 games, all substitutions coming off the bench, averaging 2.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game while shooting 38.0 percent from the field.
As a rookie, Furphy primarily served as a substitute to rest starters and gain playing time in the closing minutes of games with decided outcomes.[6] Throughout the season, he was frequently assigned to the Indiana Mad Ants,[29] the Pacers' NBA G League affiliate, shuttling between the Mad Ants and the Pacers' bench.[6]
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.[30][31] During a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on 3 November 2025, 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, Furphy was seen leaving the locker room using crutches.[30][32]
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]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
