Charlotte Hornets’ Devonte Graham in NBA 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend
Charlotte Hornets point guard Devonte Graham’s breakout sophomore season will make for a busy All-Star Weekend.
Graham has accepted an invitation to the NBA’s annual 3-point contest Saturday, Feb. 15 in Chicago. Graham was previously chosen for the Rising Stars game that Friday night, along with teammates P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges.
Graham has made a dramatic jump this season, from a little-used rookie to a starter averaging 17.9 points per game. Graham’s impact is built around prolific 3-point shooting; he is fourth in the NBA in total makes (176) and attempts (468) from 3 this season.
“People have been talking about it for a couple of months now, and I didn’t really think I’d be in it because recently I haven’t shot the ball all that well,” Graham said before Tuesday’s road game against the Houston Rockets.
“I’m going to have a good time. Hopefully, I shoot the lights out.”
The 3-point contest and the other Saturday night events will be televised on TNT.
Others in the 3-point field: Defending champion Joe Harris with the Brooklyn Nets, Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards, Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings, Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Damian Lillard with the Portland Trail Blazers, Duncan Robinson with the Miami Heat and Trae Young with the Atlanta Hawks.
The NBA is changing the 3-point contest, adding two shots from a distance six feet beyond the 3-point arc that will count extra for makes.
Graham said he’ll do at least a little practicing before All-Star Weekend, to adjust to pulling the ball out of the racks, and the new bonus shot:
“You’ve got to at least practice a couple of times because its different (than a game). You’re having to grab balls out of a rack and keep moving to a different spot (in a semi-circle around the court). And they have that deep ball now. Nothing crazy (in preparation), but you have to go through it at least a couple of times.”
Graham, a second-round pick out of Kansas in the 2018 draft, has said for several weeks he would be thrilled to be included in the 3-point contest. Several teammates lobbied for Graham on Twitter in the past few days.
Hornets coach James Borrego said Monday, before the home loss to the Orlando Magic, that Graham’s improved 3-point shooting, particularly his ability to make 3s off the dribble, has been key to his success this season. Graham is shooting 38 percent from 3-point range this season, compared to 28 percent as a rookie.
“The amount of 3s he’s taken and made is extreme — that’s huge,” Borrego said. “The off-the-dribble shooting is elite; that’s tough to do. We saw Kemba (Walker, the Hornets former All-Star) do that later in his career. He didn’t have that early.
“Devonte has been able to do that in his second (season) with a significant (increase) in minutes, as well. And his ability to make (pressure) shots in the fourth quarter, as well, is elite throughout the league.”
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets’ Devonte Graham in NBA 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend."
