NBA
WATCH: Indiana’s Johnny Furphy posterized the defense on Monday for a viral one-handed slam
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated5 hours ago on July 15, 2025
On Monday, the Pacers’ summer league squad was set to face the Bulls. As a team that made the NBA Finals last season, Indiana doesn’t have many recognizable names in the summer league.
However, second-year pro Johnny Furphy became a viral sensation for the Pacers. Against Chicago, Furphy pushed the ball in transition. He did a smooth behind-the-back dribble and went right to the basket. Rookie Noa Essengue tried meeting Furphy at the rim, but the Pacers’ SG threw down a vicious one-handed slam. Many are calling this the best dunk of the 2k26 summer league. Johnny Furphy would not be denied on that dunk attempt in the second quarter.
Johnny Furphy made himself a household name on Monday night for the Pacers
JOHNNY FURPHY OH MY GOODNESS 😱🔨
GAVE US THE DUNK OF THE SUMMER LEAGUE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KeA5yijXkm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 15, 2025
With a second-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Pacers selected Johnny Furphy out of Kansas. The 20-year-old is a native of Melbourne, Australia. As a rookie, Furphy played in 50 of Indiana’s 82 games. He played a limited role, averaging just 7.6 minutes per game when he saw action. Indiana already had plenty of depth on their roster, and Johnnu Furphy is a third-string player.
Despite not seeing much playing time last season, Johnny Furphy is a starter for Indiana in the summer league. Against the Bulls on Monday, he played a team-high 31 minutes. Even with the Pacers losing 114-105, Johnny Furphy had the most memorable moment vs. the Bulls. Late in the second quarter, Furphy met Bulls’ rookie Noa Essengue at the rim. Furphy threw down a monster one-handed slam that sent the game into an immediate frenzy.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) July 14, 2025
His spectacular dunk on Monday will be in the running for best summer league dunk in 2025. The Aussie was flying high in the air and posterized his opponent for a spectacular dunk. Pacers’ all-star PG Tyrese Haliburton was quick to go to social media to show support for Furphy’s big moment. He quoted a post from Indiana and said, “Your favorite players favorite player.”
With one season under his belt, Johnny Furphy could see an increased role for the Pacers in 2024-25. Last season, he spent time with Indiana and its G League affiliate. The summer league is essentially a tryout for players like Furphy who want to prove they belong with the Pacers. On Monday, Furphy finished with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
