New Pacer Johnny Furphy on heading to Indiana: Doesn’t feel real but seems like a perfect fit

New Pacer Johnny Furphy on heading to Indiana: Doesn’t feel real but seems like a perfect fit

another magic moment for Australian basketball with another player reaching the NBA Johnny Fury Johnny firstly I just have to say congratulations I’ve been speaking with you the last few days and and what could potentially happen and now we can officially say you’re an NBA player how does that sit with you it uh hasn’t really sunk in yet uh this is yeah dream come true so yeah this is just so excited so excited and I will say like the the draft being over nights is a little bit different to what we used to but a benefit is that we didn’t have to see you up there with the San Antonio hat on you can just wear the paces gear when you get a hold of it so the Spurs originally having that pick H can you just walk us through what the period looked like for you with your team as there’s a trade and you find out Indi is going to be your home yeah yeah so we kind of had a few kind of different potential Landing spots uh we knew some teams are super uh kind of keen to get in earlier than what they were originally and Indiana being one of those uh we um we uh yeah I heard a couple minutes before that Indiana are gonna get the uh get the pick from San Antonio to ensure they get me and yeah that was kind of how it went so so then take us behind the scenes because we’re sitting back and we’re here in studio and we we know that you’re going to be one of the first names we hear today so you were aware at least that the Pacers were going to make this move a little bit before it actually went ahead um no it was only yeah not not very uh I didn’t really know too much like in advance uh but uh we knew yeah some teams were kind of trying to get uh make a move um but obviously so many so many different trades going on and yes I’m fortunate enough Indiana traded up to to get me and we know that your head is going to be absolutely spinning right now so we’re impressed that you can even have time to to give us this chat but you’ve heard from the team and when you’re sitting there and you get a phone call and the phone gets past to you and it’s Rick carile the head coach in the league for over two decades what does he say to you and and how does that phone call feel yeah it was it pretty crazy he uh yeah he gave me a call uh just congratulated me uh he’s uh very excited uh yeah very excited with uh kind of the way that I’ll be able to fit in with their play style uh very kind of exciting team Dynamic uh said yeah it’s going to be we can’t wait to get to work he’s going to be I’m going to be coach hard which is good um but yeah he just congratulated me which is which is pretty pretty insane and I think for most people I’m not sure how much of the Pacers you watch this year but one of the fastest Pace teams in the league and that’s what we’ve seen from you you love getting down in transition You’re athletic you love playing that style of basketball so uh running a floor alongside Tyrese halberton Pascal sakkam I’m not sure how that sits with you but it seems like it’s going to be a very exciting roster to be a part of absolutely yeah I mean the more the more I kind of talk about it and think about it it sounds more and more perfect so yeah that was kind of out the end of the day just trying to find the best fit and uh yeah Indiana’s just gets me really excited and for Pacers fans that’ll be uh watching this we saw in college uh you were a guy that shot the ball well um but you played a role that was a little different and we know we’ve heard from you over the last few days that there is development still to come so where do you see yourself positionally perhaps and what should the Pacers expect from what they can get not only from opening night this year but moving ahead as you have a long NBA career yeah I think yeah I’ve got a incredibly high ceiling I think I’ve got a lot to develop on uh yeah I think I do a good job of you know playing off the ball uh impacting impacting the game without without the ball in my hands uh which is you know sounds like a I could do a really good job at at the paces um but yeah I think there’s so much for my game to develop on um kind of shooting on the Move uh and but yeah I’m excited to see kind of get into an NBA kind of locker room weight room and just see see how my body develops and see yeah see how my game develops and and the family I had the pleasure of meeting them yesterday in Brooklyn how did they take uh the night last night obviously which was a great experience to to be able to be there and then you move forward to today till you hear your name called what was the reaction because we know that they’re very excited for you yeah they’re they’re so so excited for me um it was a it was a big relief uh it’s been a long long 24 hours uh but yeah we’re just uh excited that we can kind of take a breath now and uh yeah look look what look look ahead and uh yeah we’re just kind of just enjoying this together all right so you get tonight to celebrate I assum and you’re in a pretty good place if you want to go for a nice dinner or whatever you want to do in New York City uh when is the flight do we already know when are you going to be landing in indie uh I am not sure yet I think I’ll find out after after this call uh but yeah I think all the I’ll find out all the details now but yeah I’m just so excited this doesn’t feel real right we love it and we know summer league only a couple weeks as well a couple weeks away as well so you’ll be playing with NBA players in the not too distant future now um You said it was a long 24 hours but this was obviously a different setup for the NBA draft but we knew that your moment was coming and we’re very glad that it and as you said I think the IND Pacers is going to be a great fit so Johnny Fury you’re an NBA player with the Pacers another Australian in the league we’re proud of you and we’re very excited to see what’s next yeah me too thank you so much

Johnny Furphy joins SportsCenter Australia sharing his reaction to being picked 35th overall by the Indiana Pacers, after they traded up one spot with the San Antonio Spurs to draft the Kansas Jayhawk and Melbourne product.

Furphy discusses the team dynamic at the Pacers, looking forward to being coached by Rick Carlisle and joining the the fast-paced floor-running of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, as we as the development and upside he has to offer as his #NBA career begins.

#nbadraft #indianapacers #pacers #tyresehaliburton #kansas #jayhawk

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