# DRAFT PROSPECT: Joey Graham



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

This thread is to discuss all things Joey Graham. Any other threads created focusing on Joey Graham will be merged with this one from now one.

Draft Prospect: *Joey Graham*


















Position: *SF/SG*
Age at Draft: *23*
Height/Weight/Wingspan/Reach: *6'6.5" / 217 lbs / 6'8" / 8'8"*
College: *Oklahoma State*
Birthplace: *Brandon, FL*

Season Avgs 04/05: *17.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2 apg*
Season Avgs 03/04: *12.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.1 apg*
Season Avgs 02/03: *13.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.4 apg*

Vertical: *36"*
Combine Rank: *1*

Projected Pick: *7 to 14*

*Quick Hit:* Graham is one of my favorites in the draft. A monster athletically, testing tops in the draft combine. His height came up a bit shorter than expected, but his standing reach matches that of Gerald Green. IMO he could have an Andre Iguodala impact on some team next season and if he gets on the right team, could be a contender for ROY. I am beginning to hope he is around at the pick of the Orlando Magic so they can groom him as their future SG by improving his perimeter skills a bit.

*Side Note:* Just realized Graham is from Brandon, FL - where I am living now. A friend of mine told me a while back that my alma mater, the Univ of South Florida, actually had a shot at bringing in Joey but they told him they only wanted him and not his brother. Oops.

nbadraft.net profile
draftexpress profile
espn profile (insider)


*The Questions:*
Can he improve his perimeter skills and be an NBA SG?
Which team would be the best fit for Joey (personally I think Minny)?
Does he have a lot of upside (24 yrs old) and where can he max out?
Superstar or role player? Future All-Defensive teamer?


----------



## FanOfAll8472 (Jun 28, 2003)

JNice said:


> Can he improve his perimeter skills and be an NBA SG?


I don't think so. I don't see a problem with playing him almost exclusively at the 3. He can certainly guard the 2, he just doesn't have the same offensive game as your traditional 2. So it's no big deal if he and say, Rashard Lewis are on the wings.


> Which team would be the best fit for Joey (personally I think Minny)?


Minny would be great. So would Houston (if he slipped) or Boston (if they jettisoned Pierce and didn't add more swingmen).


> Does he have a lot of upside (24 yrs old) and where can he max out?


Oh he definitely has upside on the offensive end. I don't think he'll ever score more than 20 ppg though.


> Superstar or role player? Future All-Defensive teamer?


Role player, couple All-Defensive teams. Probably 12-15 ppg, solid defense. However, his on-court impact will never be measured in stats. His physicality and tenacious defense will really help teams out. This is such a hypothetical, but if he was a rookie last year on Boston instead of Tony Allen, the Celtics would have been much closer to beating the Pacers, or even defeated Indiana. Why? Because he has the size and athletic ability, as well as defensive prowess and willingness to match up against a player with the size and athletic ability such as Stephen Jackson. PP/Ricky Davis did a decent job on SJax, but neither had the size or physicality to really give Jackson problems. That's the type of impact Graham will make in the league.


----------



## sheefo13 (Jul 13, 2002)

Yeah I think he would be a good compliment to KG. I do think he will end up like a Corliss Williamson... Just a better defender though.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

sheefo13 said:


> Yeah I think he would be a good compliment to KG. I do think he will end up like a Corliss Williamson... Just a better defender though.



I don't see him really comparing to Williamson.... I guess you could, but it seems like a stretch. I imagine Corliss was much, much heavier coming into the league. At Graham's height and weight, I don't see why he couldn't be a true perimeter player, even playing at SG. And his outside shot is reportedly much better, reportedly shooting very well from outside in workouts .. of course, that is reportedly.


----------



## Debt Collector (Mar 13, 2003)

i think the best comparison for graham is a more team oriented corey maggette.


----------



## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

Maggette is team orinetated he is just stupid. He doesnt understand the game that well yet.


----------



## sheefo13 (Jul 13, 2002)

See I was thinking the 6th man of the year Williamson. A SF that is a really a short PF. Maggette is way too good of a perimeter player. No where close is Graham. Could he be the first of his kind? Maybe a strong, healthy Tariq Abdul- Wahad??? that is a sf of course. 

I don't see Graham ever being a sg though. He could put in minutes at the pf though.


----------



## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

I think I would like to see Graham go to Charlotte at 13.If he's still there he would get an oppurtunity to play at Charlotte and he'd really fit in with their team philosophy.I'm not convinced that he'll be a great shooter or a natural SG,but I really like his commitment and I think he will offer a lot of value at this area of the draft. That assumes that some other team may not take him sooner and the way his stock is rising he may well go higher.


----------



## Giddensfor3 (Sep 14, 2004)

Joey Graham

I think Graham could be similar to Richard Jefferson in a few years. They are both similar builds and athletes, and Jefferson had the same weaknesses coming out of Arizona (shaky three-point shot, poor ball handling skills). However, Jefferson has developed into a great slasher and I think Graham could too with improved ball handling skills.


----------



## Pure Scorer (Jul 20, 2002)

i like the richard jefferson comparison... a bit more athletic than jefferson was though... i don't see him improving his perimeter game as jefferson did (as far as creating for himself off the dribble), but i think he will be a better slasher and a better defender.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Giddensfor3 said:


> Joey Graham
> 
> I think Graham could be similar to Richard Jefferson in a few years. They are both similar builds and athletes, and Jefferson had the same weaknesses coming out of Arizona (shaky three-point shot, poor ball handling skills). However, Jefferson has developed into a great slasher and I think Graham could too with improved ball handling skills.


:laugh:

Love that photo of Joey on your site's profile.










And the name ... joeygrahamroids.jpg ... 

Scary photo.


----------



## ItalianStallion (Jun 8, 2005)

graham is gonna be a fury in the league. i just love that guy. IMO he will have a monster impact starting imediately.


----------



## Marvin Williams Jr. (Dec 18, 2004)

Joey Graham'll be 23... not 24.

1982.


----------



## NYKBaller (Oct 29, 2003)

i was watching his highlights and happened to have an old Larry Johnson mixtape, I can see him being more like him. Post oriented SF, strong as a bull, with good hops...


----------



## TRON (Feb 29, 2004)

All the praise that has recently been heaped on Graham, was almost non-existant before he finished first in the combine. So, now we have all figured out what an absolute athletic monster he is, but what about his game?

Where is he on your draftboard compared to....
1. Danny Granger
2. Antoine Wright
3. Gerald Green


----------



## Adam Miller (Apr 13, 2005)

TRON said:


> Where is he on your draftboard compared to....
> 1. Danny Granger
> 2. Antoine Wright
> 3. Gerald Green


1. Gerald Green
2. Antoine Wright
3. Danny Granger
4. Joey Graham

Out of position at Oklahoma State, not a natural power forward. He needs to prove he's a small forward and I haven't seen anything that shows he can do that well. He might be able to make it at power forward just because of his strength, but he will be a backup power forward at best. He's not going to be as good as everyone thinks he is unless he can excel at small forward.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

TRON said:


> All the praise that has recently been heaped on Graham, was almost non-existant before he finished first in the combine. So, now we have all figured out what an absolute athletic monster he is, but what about his game?
> 
> Where is he on your draftboard compared to....
> 1. Danny Granger
> ...



I heard plenty of praise for Graham prior to the combine. Reports were that he was great in workouts and was shooting the ball from outside really well. I don't see why people wouldn't think he'd be able to play on the wing in the NBA.


----------



## NorthSideHatrik (Mar 11, 2003)

JNice said:


> I heard plenty of praise for Graham prior to the combine. Reports were that he was great in workouts and was shooting the ball from outside really well. I don't see why people wouldn't think he'd be able to play on the wing in the NBA.


SF yes, but SG no. I like the RJ comparisons alot and, NBA Draft.net compares him to Caron Butler which is a pretty decent comparision also. Those three seem to have about the same strengths and weaknesses, however i think Joey is much stronger than either of those two.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

NorthSideHatrik said:


> SF yes, but SG no. I like the RJ comparisons alot and, NBA Draft.net compares him to Caron Butler which is a pretty decent comparision also. Those three seem to have about the same strengths and weaknesses, however i think Joey is much stronger than either of those two.



Well, Jefferson and Butler are both capable of playing SG, moreso Jefferson. Maybe not long-term, but they can do it.


----------



## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

I really like this guy after watching him play at OSU the last 2 years. He seems like he weighs more than he's advertised for, but maybe it's just all the damn bulging muscles. I don't think Graham will be able to play the 2. He's not that great of a perimeter player. He is a 3/4, who will spend most of his time slashing from the wings and banging for rebounds. He has the potential to be a great defender and will be a great team player. His stock has been rising and I see him going to Golden State at #9 or Charlotte at #13.


----------

