Debrief: Johnny Furphy surrounded frustrations with promising season
An ACL tear derailed a promising second season.
INDIANAPOLIS – Johnny Furphy played in just three of the Pacers first 21 games, and one of those appearances was for 60 seconds. A left ankle sprain sidelined the second-year forward early in the season. He was glued to the bench along with many other injured Pacers.
In early December, he returned to the hardwood. After playing sparingly in five games, he spoke to reporters. "I've never really missed this amount of games before. I kind of just have to be patient with myself, give myself grace, and just know it's a long year," Furphy said after a practice. "I'm going to get my feet back under me."
He felt lifted by his teammates and staff during that time but wasn't enjoying watching from the bench with an injury. He wanted to play. "I don't ever want to do that again, honestly," he said. "I don't want to get hurt like that and miss this amount of games, because I can't stand just watching."
Tony East
That final sentence makes his season-ending injury from February 8 all the more painful. Furphy suffered a torn ACL against the Toronto Raptors that night, meaning he missed the rest of the season and will be sidelined for months in 2026-27. It's a devastating injury for a young wing that didn't want to miss more time – and someone that was having a strong second season.
That was the 35th game for Furphy in year two, and he was showcasing many of the skills that made his second season so promising the night of the injury. Three assists, two rebounds, and great defense defined his 15 minutes. A powerful dunk was his final play.
"It's been difficult, definitely," Furphy shared of a second, much longer injury during his end-of-season exit interview. That was in mid-April, and he was recently off crutches at the time. He's happy to be moving around more, but that's merely a silver lining in a long return to play plan.
Furphy doesn't have a specific date in mind when it comes to getting back on the court, a logical approach for such a long injury that crosses the offseason. There's no rush. But it will still be a challenge for the young forward to rehab once again instead of focusing on skill development after a solid campaign.
"It's a new experience, just on a way bigger level now," Furphy said of his extended absence. "So I'm learning a lot and it's going to be a long journey for sure. But I think I'm going to come out a lot stronger at the other end of it."
Furphy's injury was a bummer for countless reasons. The toll it took on the young wing was just the precipice of the impact felt from Furphy's loss.
The Pacers, in whatever mode they were in down the stretch of the season, would have put Furphy on the floor. In the games they were trying hardest to win, his defense and shooting would have been vital. In the developmentally-focused outings, the 21-year old would have been in line for big minutes.
Furphy and Jarace Walker, and to a lesser extent Ben Sheppard, were the guys in that mix – both helpful for the team at their best and at the center of their growth-minded approach to the final few months of the season. Sheppard and Walker have contributed in the playoffs before, but Furphy earned his spot in this group with his play this season.
As has been discussed often, the Pacers started 48 different lineups in 2025-26. Only two of them won more than one game, and both groups included Furphy (and Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard). That was perhaps the most promising part of the most recent season for the 2024 second-round pick – he showed positive signs of fitting with the Pacers best players.
While Furphy's build is best suited to be a wing, he had success next to Siakam in the frontcourt, and the two toggled the responsibilities of a center. Defensively, they made it work. Offensively, they spaced the floor better than other frontcourt combinations. In 421 minutes, the Pacers were +20 with both Furphy and Siakam on the floor last season. Finding that pairing was a win in a season full of losing.
"I think I was finding my feet when I was getting some more [playing time]. I was really starting to settle in. So I'm happy I had that experience," Furphy said. "And I think, obviously, I learned a lot from that. But now it's just a matter of building on that, not taking any steps backwards."
He could have, if healthy, taken steps forward in the final stretch of the season. Sheppard's minutes per game rested at 21.2 after the All-Star break while Walker played 30 minutes a night. It's reasonable to assume Furphy would have been somewhere in between those two numbers and would have gotten more challenging assignments.
Instead, his season ended early and his 2026-27 is cut short. Furphy averaged 5.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in year two and is someone the Pacers should continue to give opportunities to when healthy.
"It's a specific style we play here with, and it's one of those things that takes time to get used to," Furphy said. "But once you start to learn how to anticipate it more, it just opens up everyone and it frees up everyone's game."
He looked more free this year and turned in a more efficient season, though Furphy's three-point shot still appears to be a swing skill for a ceiling. His floor, though, appears to be higher after a productive season supporting his best teammates. Unfortunately, it was cut short.
Thank you for reading. Between the Fever, scouting reports, and a little personal trip, this series is not as far along as it needs to be. If you want the remaining 14 exit interview stories sent to your inbox, plus prospect, Fever, and other Pacers stories, sign up below.
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