Australian guard Johnny Furphy's promising NBA season has been brought to a premature end by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Indiana young gun Furphy, 21, injured his right knee in the Pacers' 122-104 loss to Toronto on Sunday (Monday AEDT).
Furphy drove to the basket and dunked but hurt himself on the landing, immediately clutching at his right knee as he fell to the floor.
The Melburnian walked off the court with assistance before being taken to the locker room in a wheelchair, with scans confirming Furphy had torn the ACL in his right knee.
The recovery timeline for a knee reconstruction is usually between nine and 12 months, and at minimum six months, ending Furphy's 2025-26 campaign - and it could feasibly stretch into the start of next season.
The injury is a cruel end to a campaign where Furphy, drafted at pick No. 35 in 2024, had started to make his mark.
Furphy made 34 appearances and 21 starts in his second season with Indiana, averaging 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 18.5 minutes of court time per game.
The guard had been expected to continue his development apace in the latter part of the season, despite Indiana's struggles.
The Pacers have dropped four straight games and are currently 15th - dead last - in the Eastern Conference, with a 13-40 record.
Furphy won't have to look far for advice on overcoming a knee reconstruction.
His older sister Holly, a striker at A-League Women club Melbourne Victory, previously overcame the dreaded knee injury, which she suffered in her first year of college soccer, to embark upon her professional career.
