Justin Graham

Justin Graham
No. 5 – Inter Bratislava
Position Guard
League Slovak Extraliga
Personal information
Born September 10, 1988
Turlock, California
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight 88 kg (194 lb)
Career information
High school Ripon (Ripon, California)
College San Jose State (2007–2011)
NBA draft 2011 / Undrafted
Pro career 2011–present
Career history
2011 Vanoli Cremona (Italy)
2011 Bakersfield Jam (D-League)
2012–2014 Inter Bratislava (Slovakia)
2014 Zalakerámia-ZTE KK (Hungary)
2014–present Inter Bratislava (Slovakia)
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× Slovak Extraliga champion (2013–2014)
  • First-team All-WAC (2010)
  • All-WAC defensive team (2010)

Justin Jaymes Graham (born September 10, 1988) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for Inter Bratislava of the Slovak Extraliga. Graham played college basketball at San Jose State University.

Early life and high school

When Graham was in second grade, he met future San Jose State teammate Adrian Oliver.[1] They would next play in the same Amateur Athletic Union team while in high school.[2] At Ripon High School, Graham was a Division IV all-state selection in 2006 and led his team and league in scoring, assists, blocked shots and steals that year. In the fall of 2005, Graham signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the San Jose State Spartans.[3] San Jose State signed him on November 9, 2005.[4]

College career

After redshirting the 2006-07 season, Graham averaged 2.9 assists per game and became the first San Jose State freshman to lead the team in assists. His next two seasons, Graham played or started in every game of the season.[3] On January 7, 2008, Graham scored on a jumper that would permanently put San Jose State in the lead over Santa Clara, and San Jose State won 62-59.[5]

In the 2008-09 season, Graham was a conference leader in steals and assists: in the WAC, he had the second-most average assists per game and third-most steals.[3] Before Graham's first playing season, coach George Nessman felt that Graham had "a chance to develop into a major difference-maker."[6]

As a junior in 2009–10, Graham started all 31 games, one of two Spartan players to do so. He averaged 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. On November 28, 2009, Graham scored what would be the game-winning basket against Pacific with 11 seconds remaining.[3] Graham completed his B.A. in communications from San Jose State in May 2010.[7]

In his senior season, 2010–11, Graham began coursework for a Master of Arts in kinesiology with a concentration in sport management, a degree he completed in May 2013.[8][1] In a four-overtime, 102-101 home loss to Boise State on January 7, 2011, Graham played all 60 minutes and scored 29 points, matching his career scoring high. With 50 seconds remaining in the second half, Graham scored a three-pointer and had San Jose State trailing 72-69; he then scored the tying jumper to force overtime.[9] On February 23, 2011, Graham became the all-time leader in career assists at San Jose State in a 72-70 overtime victory over New Mexico State, televised nationally on ESPN2.[10] Graham averaged 14.2 points and 4.5 rebounds as a senior.[11] Along with Adrian Oliver, Graham made the WAC all-defense team and was a first team all-WAC pick.[12]

Professional career

Vanoli Cremona (2011)

Graham signed with the Italian team Vanoli Cremona in August 2011.[13] Graham played in two pre-season games. On September 6, Graham scored 11 points in Vanoli's 110-87 win over Scaligera Basket Verona.[14] However, Vanoli lost the ENERCOM Trophy game on September 12 to Montepaschi Siena, 83-77, and Graham scored 2 points.[15]

Bakersfield Jam (2011)

The Bakersfield Jam drafted Graham as the eighth pick in the third round of the 2011 NBA Development League Draft, 39th overall.[16] On December 2, the Jam waived Graham due to injury.[17] In 5 games with the Jam, Graham averaged 5.2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.[18] The Jam re-acquired Graham on December 14 but waived him again on December 22.[19]

Inter Bratislava (2012–2014)

Graham signed with BK Inter Bratislava of Slovak Extraliga on September 28, 2012.[20] In his debut with Inter Bratislava on October 6, Graham scored 15 points from making 6 of 10 field goals and 3 of 3 free throws. He also had 7 rebounds and a steal. On October 29, Graham scored a season-high 29 points in Bratislava's 102-88 win over SKP Banska Bystrica.[21] Inter Bratislava won the Slovak Extraliga championship for the season,[22] and Graham finished the season averaging 11.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.[21] In Bratislava's 82-80 win over MBK Rieker Komarno on June 1 to clinch the championship series, Graham scored 10 points on 3-for-3 field goal shooting and 4-for-6 free throw shooting; Graham also had 4 rebounds and 1 assist.[23] Inter Bratislava won the Extraliga finals again in 2014.[24]

Zalakerámia-ZTE KK (2014)

In August 2014, Graham signed with Zalakerámia-ZTE KK of Hungary.[25] In 7 games of the Hungarian League, he averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

Return to Inter Bratislava (2014–present)

On December 6, 2014, he returned to Inter Bratislava.[26]

Personal life

Both of Graham's parents, Steve Graham and Shari Hernandez, played college basketball at California State University, Stanislaus.[1][3] Born in Turlock, California,[3] Justin Graham's younger sister Jessica played basketball at the University of Idaho, another WAC school, and their parents divorced when Justin was four.[1] He is also a step-grandson of Neal Walk, a former center for the Phoenix Suns who was the second overall pick of the 1969 NBA Draft.[3]

Because Graham was diagnosed with vitiligo, he chooses to grow his hair long to prevent skin cancer.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Emmons, Mark. "SJSU's easy rider; It's more than just the hair with San Jose State's Justin Graham". San Jose Mercury News. pp. C1, C6. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ Tafur, Vittorio (February 17, 2010). "What Spartans ask, get from Oliver: more". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. B3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Justin Graham". San Jose State Spartans. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ Curtis, Jake (November 10, 2005). "MEN'S SIGNING: Stanford nets Fresno 7-footers". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. D5.
  5. ↑ "Spartans stop Santa Clara". San Francisco Chronicle. January 8, 2008. pp. D3.
  6. ↑ Curtis, Jake (November 6, 2007). "Coach says this could be the year for Spartans". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. D4.
  7. ↑ 2010 San Jose State University Commencement Student-Athlete Participation
  8. ↑ "Spartans Celebrate 2013 Commencement". San Jose State Spartans. May 25, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Boise St. 102, San Jose St. 101". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 6, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  10. ↑ "San Jose St. 72, New Mexico St. 70". ESPN.com. Associated Press. February 23, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  11. ↑ http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/justin-graham-1.html
  12. ↑ "SJSU's Oliver, Graham honored". San Jose Mercury News. March 7, 2011. pp. C6.
  13. ↑ "Graham, Genovese e Varrone in ritiro con Cremona". Match Up Sardegna. August 18, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Benetton and Vanoli win the friendly actions". Eurobasket. September 7, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  15. ↑ Duchi, Daniele (September 13, 2011). "trofeo enercom: Vanoli - Montepaschi 77-83". Cremona Online (in Italian). Archived from the original on November 4, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Justin Graham - NBDL 3rd Round Pick". San Jose State Spartans. November 4, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Jam Add Gurley and Harris". Bakersfield Jam. December 4, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Justin Graham career stats". NBA D-League. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Transactions". NBA D-League. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Justin Graham Heads To Slovakian Pro League". sjsuspartans.com. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Justin Graham". FIBA. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Inter claim dramatic win over Komarno, win Extraliga title". Eurobasket News. June 1, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Finals Game 7: Komarno - Inter Bratislava 80-82". eurobasket. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  24. ↑ BK Interslava Playoffs 2014
  25. ↑ "Justin Graham (ex Inter Bratislava) signs at Zalakeramia-ZTE KK". Eurobasket.com. August 7, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  26. ↑ Caporaso, Armando (December 6, 2014). "Inter Bratislava: Justin Graham IN, Jordan Dykstra OUT". Sportando.com. Retrieved December 9, 2014.

External links