Charlotte Hornets: Is it time to start the Devonte’ Graham All-Star conversation?
This breakout season is legit, and so is Charlotte Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham. Could he make a run at an All-Star appearance?
Time and time again this season, Devonte’ Graham has made my jaw drop to the floor. He’s also had me asking myself “is this guy for real?” time and time again. Somehow, someway, the Charlotte Hornets may have gained a star despite the departure of Kemba Walker in the off-season.
After dropping a career-high 40 points in Brooklyn against the Nets last night, I think it’s time for me to make this clear. Devonte’ Graham IS for real. I, along with other fans across the NBA, also believe it’s time to start seriously considering Graham as an All-Star reserve in the Eastern Conference.
Oh, and Graham must also be considered the favorite to win the Most Improved Player of the Year Award. There’s a lot of good candidates, but Graham is on his own island right now, if you ask me.
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It feels crazy to even say that he could be an All-Star, considering his rookie season was bland at best. We knew that someone was going to have to step up and replace the offense that the Hornets lost, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted this kind of statement start from Graham.
The second-year guard out of Kansas is averaging 20.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists for the 11-16 Charlotte Hornets. He’s second in the NBA in three-pointers made, sinking 103 total triples while shooting 43 percent in the process.
Perhaps the most impressive feat in all of this is the fact that Graham has the Hornets competitive in the Eastern Conference. Most people wrote this team off prior to the season and figured they’d be among the worst in the league, but they’ve been surprising, and could even make a run for a playoff spot.
Graham has a lot to do with their success. He’s done everything for this team. Whether he’s starting, coming off the bench, dropping 40 points or hitting game-winners and clutch buckets, Graham continues to come through.
While Graham certainly won’t be a sure-fire All-Star selection, he does have a better chance playing in the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference has had significantly more talent for a long time now, resulting in legit snubs year in and year out.
There are only a few locks for the All-Star game in the Eastern Conference right now, in my opinion. Those locks would be Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam and Kemba Walker.
Aside from those five players, there are still some that I figure will get in, despite a slow start to the season. If Graham makes the All-Star team, he’ll more than likely be one of the two wild-card selections.
We must remember that we are 27 games into the season. There’s still a lot of time left in the season, so anything can happen. All I know is that Graham continues to baffle me with his elite play. He’s showing no signs of slowing down and has only gotten better and better. We’ll see if that continues.
Next. Devonte' Graham -- The Charlotte Hornets' New Superstar. dark
As of today, there’s a chance that Devonte’ Graham sneaks onto the All-Star team for the Charlotte Hornets. It would be an incredible accomplishment for the former second-round pick, and an incredible story for a Charlotte Hornets team that seemed to lose everything during the off-season.