Charlotte Hornets rookie guard Devonte' Graham may have played his college ball in Kansas, but he was happy to get a chance to play at UNC, who he grew up rooting for. Graham grew up in Raleigh, where he was an avid Tar Heel fan. His new team beat the Boston Celtics 104-97 in the Dean Smith Center in their preseason opener last night.
This marked Graham's first time at the venue. His composure down the stretch helped the Hornets notch a win in his NBA debut, and it was a family affair.
“It was great in my opinion. We got the win. We're just trying to grow as a team,” said Graham. “You know, we have a new coaching staff and a lot of new players. We're just trying to get a feel for each other. It felt great playing at home.”
Devonte' Graham recorded 7 points, 2 rebounds and an assist in his 17 minutes on the court. The 6-foot-2 guard was the Big 12 Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American last year at Kansas. He showcased his skills by taking a late-game charge that helped the momentum swing in the Hornets' favor.
As a native of the Piedmont Triad, Graham was a crowd favorite. He said that having friends and family at the game made for a great experience.
“It means everything. All the support from everybody that I get, I truly appreciate it,” said Graham. “West Virginia is the closest I've played. That's about five and and a half (hours from Chapel Hill) I think. It was great. My family drove like 30 minutes up the street to come see me. You can't ask for anything better than that.”
Graham was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The Hornets traded two second-round picks to get him. They clearly have high expectations for him. The Hornets played him alongside Miles Bridges and Dwayne Bacon in the closing minutes of the game. This shows that the team wants their young core to grow quickly. Graham showed that his four years as a Jayhawk prepared him for the next level.
“It's good to know that maybe in late situations coach can trust us to make the right plays, play together and play for one another,” Graham continued.
The Hornets had a good opener, but the team will have a quick turnaround, as they play in Boston on Sunday. Graham will hope to carry some momentum from his successful homecoming experience into his second NBA preseason game.
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