A big Australian sporting achievement is threatening to slip under the radar.

Amid a busy time of year with NRL State of Origin, a fiery AFL season, WTC cricket final, as well as Adam Scott and Oscar Piastri’s achievements; the NBA Finals series has been grippingly going on in the background.

But Monday morning, Australia’s Johnny Furphy will be aiming to become just the eighth Aussie to win a Championship when he suits up for Indiana.

The series between the Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder is locked at 3-3, with the winner of this final game claiming the title.

It’s all on the line in this winner-takes-all shootout – and it’s the first time the Finals have gone to game 7 since 2016.

Being a bench player, Furphy has played a total of just 34 minutes after taking the floor 10 times in the postseason, as the Pacers eliminated Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, and has now pushed title favourites OKC to a decider.

At just 20, the Melbourne-born forward has been a quiet achiever for Indiana throughout 2024/25. He hasn’t received as much attention as the first-string Boomers players like Patty Mills, Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey, but he has been playing a vital role in his side’s extremely surprising season.

Few gave the Pacers a chance this year. Betting companies listed them with the equal 17th-best odds of winning the championship at the start of the campaign, shocking many that they reached the playoffs, let alone a Finals’ series.

But the have proven to be a team of fighters this year and the never knowing when to give up attitude has given them a very real chance at the Cinderella story.

Johnny Furphy of the Indiana Pacers. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Game 6 was a microcosm of Indiana’s season in a way. The Pacers started the regular season with 15 losses in 25 games, while in the playoffs, they have had five comebacks from 15 or more down to win games – and they’re now one win from a title.

“We just wanted to protect home court,” Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said after the 108-91 win.

“We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor.

“Backs against the wall and we just responded. … Total team effort.”

OKC finished the regular season with the best record, posting 68 wins – four more than Eastern Conference winners Cleveland and a massive 16 games ahead of nearest Western Conference challengers Houston.

It won’t be easy for the Pacers in the last game of this campaign, though, with history against them: home teams are 15-4 in finals in Game 7s. Adding to the fact that Paycom Center has become a fortress for the Thunder, losing just six of their 41 home games in 2024/24.

Even if Furphy does not get any court time in the decider – and there is no guarantee of the rookie hitting the floor, especially if scores are tight down the stretch – it still has been a breakout year to remember, where he has announced himself as a star of Aussie basketball.

In December, Furphy averaged 11.9 minutes per game, his busiest month of the season. He averaged 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds.

Then he had his two biggest games of the year to close out the regular season. In the loss to Orlando, he played a season high 32 minutes, shooting 6-10 from the floor to post 17 points, including two three-pointers.