By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Devonte’ Graham entered the NBA in 2018, when the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the 34th overall pick and sent him in a trade to the Charlotte Hornets. In his second season, he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists, finishing fifth in the voting for Most Improved Player.
He moved to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021, but his role — and production — with both the Louisiana team and later the San Antonio Spurs fluctuated over the following years.
Last summer, his name began circulating in connection with EuroLeague clubs, and the 30-year-old guard eventually signed with Crvena zvezda Meridianbet.
With 336 NBA regular-season appearances behind him, averaging 11 points and 4.3 assists, Graham is now set to embark on his first European adventure with the Belgrade side. Zvezda were busy during the off-season, retooling their roster after reaching the EuroLeague Play-Ins last year.
“We know how to come out and compete. We can’t take any time off, and we just have to continue to get better and gel more as a team. Obviously, we have a lot of new players, some of us new to the EuroLeague, so we are still learning about each other and how the EuroLeague works, but we’re moving in the right direction. Every day we’re just trying to get 1% better,” Graham shared with Eurohoops about the new environment and preparing for the start of the 2025/26 season, his first on this side of the Atlantic.
He has already shown glimpses of his ability in preseason, but the real test begins on September 30, when Crvena zvezda host Olimpia Milano in their season opener. Graham explained what will be key for him in adjusting to the European style of play as quickly as possible.
“Just staying in attack mode, realizing what the coach needs from me and what the team needs from me. That goes for all of us, not just me. Everybody needs to be aggressive and play together. The more we get in shape, the faster we can play. We can accomplish a lot with our guard play. We just need to make plays for each other, and it will all come together over time.”
During his NBA career, Graham made headlines multiple times, none bigger than in 2021, when his 61-foot game-winner against the Oklahoma City Thunder set the record for the longest buzzer-beater in league history. Known for thriving in clutch situations, he was often the one to step up in high-pressure moments — a quality that could prove especially valuable in the EuroLeague, where games frequently go down to the wire.
“That’s just been one of my things since I was younger. Those are the moments you dream of, three, two, one, and hitting the buzzer-beater. I’ve been fortunate enough to hit some of those, and obviously, you want the ball in your hands in those types of moments. But it’s great to have guys around you who also can make those plays. So just because the ball’s in my hands doesn’t mean I have to shoot. I can make a play for somebody else who I’ve got 100% confidence will make the same shots that I can make.”
Speaking about his NBA career, Graham voiced his satisfaction despite the fact that his role changed often.
“Everything happens for a reason. My career in the NBA helped me become a better player. I played in different roles every year—star, coming off the bench, sixth man, even playing only two or three games a month. I’ve seen every role possible, so I know how to balance myself and maintain the right mindset regardless of the situation.”
Now he is set for his first EuroLeague season, focusing on what’s ahead.
“Take it for what it gives. Obviously, the NBA is where you want to be, where I would love to be, but I’m right here now, and I like to live in the moment. So if that’s where it takes me, then that’s cool, but if not, I enjoy my time here.”
Graham is about to start his European journey, but with a constantly growing number of internationals in the NBA and the fact that they are having a bigger impact with each season, he is far from unfamiliar with the European style. Some of the biggest NBA stars nowadays are European players, like Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“It’s definitely a different style. Fundamentals, great touch around the rim. And it’s more IQ. Obviously, NBA, in the States, it’s a lot more flashy and stuff like that, but the European game, you gotta be smarter than a lot of guys, and I think that’s just where they have the advantage over a lot of stuff. Obviously, you’ve had players way before that, but I think now that a lot of European guys are coming over there and dominating the NBA, it’s getting a lot more attention nowadays. You got a lot of Euro guys as top 15 players in the league, so it’s huge.”
Devonte’ also had a fair share of European teammates during his time in the NBA. Willy Hernangómez is actually one of the players he shared the court with the most over his career (138 games per RealGM).
“I’ve played with Willy (Hernangómez), and we’re friends. We talk all the time. He was excited when he heard I was coming here and congratulated me. I also played with him with the Hornets and the Pelicans, so we’ve always been in touch.”
He also had the chance to share a court and a locker room with the legendary Tony Parker back in Charlotte.
“That was great. Like I tell people all the time, it was my first year in the NBA, so I got to see how somebody of his stature prepared for games and how mentally focused he was, and you know, how he took care of his body from just all the years of basketball. So I think that kind of taught me, you know, ’cause when you come in young and you always fresh and you got fresh legs, you don’t realize how you need to eat healthier, all those little things that go into being a great basketball player, which he is.”
During his last NBA stint with the San Antonio Spurs, the 30-year-old combo guard had a chance to play alongside French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.
“Absolutely out of this world. Some of the things that he can do—you just can’t teach it. It’s just God-given talent, and it helps being 7’5’’ and being able to dunk from the three-point line. So he’s definitely one of the best players I’ve ever played with. And that’s saying a lot.”
However, he drew most of his inspiration from U.S. guards, with players like Damian Lillard and Jamal Crawford being his influences.
“A lot of my film early on in my NBA career, I watched a lot of Damian Lillard. I watched a lot of Jamal Crawford; personally, I love his game. I don’t do all the flashiness that he does, but just his pull-ups and his drive-left pull-ups and stuff like that, because I like to go left a lot too. So I used to watch little things like that. But from the point guard role, a lot of Damian Lillard, and obviously, you got to watch guys like Chris Paul and just, you know, the pick-and-roll and how you read defenses with his passes and stuff like that. So I just tried to take little bits and pieces from a lot of guards and put it together.”
Interestingly, Graham has a special connection with another EuroLeague player, Dubai’s swingman Dwayne Bacon.
“It’s exciting. You have a brother like that for years, you always want to play against him. It’ll be fun. We play him in about two weeks, I think, first week. So it’ll be great. Obviously, I just talked to him probably two days ago, just checking in, see how he’s doing, see how the family was. Off the court, brothers. On the court, not—we’re not family. So obviously we’re going to be trying to win, and you want to have bragging rights against him.”
Concluding his interview with Eurohoops, Devonte’ Graham spoke about his personal goals ahead of his debut EuroLeague season.
“Win as many games as possible. Stay healthy. Not trying to average 20 points or go out and shoot all the shots. No, I just want to win, ’cause winning takes you further than individual accolades. I’ve never been one of those guys who set numbers to try to average a certain amount of points during the season. So that’s how I look at it. Stay healthy—that’s my biggest goal.“