Sir Charles in Charge
Fansided

NBA: 5 players taking a ‘leap’ in their game at the quarter-mark of the season

By Gunnar Conway

NBA New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
NBA New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
NBA
NBA Charlotte Hornets Devonte’ Graham (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Players Making “The Leap”

Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets

Just a few months ago, the Charlotte Hornets were widely considered the saddest franchise in the NBA. All-Star point guard Kemba Walker pursued greener pastures in Boston, they were conned by Terry Rozier, and many believed they were doomed for yet another depressing season.

However, the team is 9-14 and within reach of a playoff spot, due in large part to the unlikely emergence of point guard Devonte’ Graham. Graham’s lackluster rookie season is why so many were caught off guard. When he wasn’t playing with the G-League affiliate, the then-rookie played 15 minutes per game, averaged a measly 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with .343/.281/.761 shooting splits.

Not only that, Graham had a net rating of -11, a box plus/minus of -4.3, and the Hornets were outscored by 6.3 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court. That’s not surprising for a rookie picked in the second round, but any doubts were more than understandable.

This season has been wildly different for Graham, thanks to a drastic improvement in shooting. Graham is now averaging 18.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists with .412/.421/.820 shooting splits with and playing 33.6 minutes per game. Charlotte has given him the green light, and he’s established himself as the team’s go-to scorer.

Since last season, Graham has tripled his shot attempts per game and is currently second in the league in made 3’s. When you consider that he was in the G-League less than a year ago, the pace of his development has been nothing short of remarkable.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1202410804269608961?s=20

Graham’s newfound skills have brought a tremendous benefit to the Hornets, both as a scorer and as a facilitator. He ranks in the top 10 percent in AST%, and the team’s effective field goal percentage increases 6.5 percent when Graham is running the offense. As a result, the Hornets score 19.2 more points than they allow per 100 possessions when he’s on the court, creating one of the best on/off differentials in the league.

The Hornets found themselves a tremendous young talent, and the franchise can finally look forward to the future.

Home/NBA News