Former KU Jayhawks guard Furphy scoring summer points with NBA’s Indiana Pacers

Former Kansas Jayhawks guard Johnny Furphy of the Indiana Pacers improved on his 12-point NBA summer-league debut by scoring a team-high 18 points in Sunday’s 105-94 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Las Vegas.

The 6-foot-9, 19-year-old Furphy scored in a variety of ways versus the Wolves. He hit 7 of 14 shots, knocking down two 3s in eight attempts. One of his 3’s was a spectacular step-back bucket in the fourth quarter that barely beat the shot-clock buzzer.

He also had multiple dunks plus seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assist against two turnovers in 30 minutes. On Friday night, he had 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting (3-of-8 from 3) with four rebounds in a 97-95 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

“The flashes from Johnny Furphy at summer league thus far have been promising,” wrote Olgun Uluc of ESPN Australia. “He has such a useful plug-and-play skillset for a wing in the NBA. That’s also a need for the Australian national team, of which he should be a staple for every major tournament campaign beyond 2024.”

Furphy on Sunday scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in the first half.

“The first and the youngest of the Pacers’ three second-round picks in the 2024 draft showed again that he’s further along in his development than many realized,” wrote Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.

“Johnny Furphy, the 6-9 wing from Kansas and the No. 35 pick in the draft, followed a 12-point effort in the opener with even more offensive potency. Furphy scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the first half, hitting a 3 but also showing effectiveness around the rim and in transition, counting multiple dunks among his 2-point buckets.”

The Pacers, 0-2, will next play on Tuesday versus Phoenix.

Jalen Wilson scores 12 points

Former KU wing Jalen Wilson, a second-year player with the Brooklyn Nets, scored 12 points on chilly 4-of-14 shooting in Sunday’s 87-78 summer league loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was 4-of-10 from 3-point range in 31 minutes. He had scored 25 points in the Nets’ opening win over Indiana on Friday.