Whatever Happened to Mr. "Most Versatile Player in the League" Joey Graham?

coldpulse23 · Post #1 » by **coldpulse23** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:10 am

Hey Guys,

I was watching some old raptors highlights on Youtube and stumbled upon seeing our top notch first round of the 2005 NBA draft (steal of that draft :wink:

)talent in Joey Graham dominating against his fellow NBA players from dunking on Alonzo Mourning to bullying Vince Carter in the paint. Just wondering where Joey Graham is playing nowadays? Any thoughts guys?

Watch on YouTube

Darkseid · Post #2 » by **Darkseid** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:11 am

We do not speak his name.

Scott Hall · Post #3 » by **Scott Hall** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:14 am

Remember that old commercial where Calderon was calling for Joey?

"Joey, Joey, Joey!!!!!"

AbC? · Post #4 » by **AbC?** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:23 am

Coulda been the next Ronnie Coleman

GreatWhiteStiff · Post #5 » by **GreatWhiteStiff** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:24 am

Scott Hall wrote:Remember that old commercial where Calderon was calling for Joey?

"Joey, Joey, Joey!!!!!"

I member. Me and my brother had a bet about this. Somehow I misheard and thought he was saying Hey Tony. Once I heard Tony I couldn't hear Joey. I lost that bet. Sorry for the lame anecdote.

raptor jesus · Post #6 » by **raptor jesus** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:45 am

I've never seen a player vacillate between showing off intriguing skill to being completely devoid of skill on a game to game basis more than Joey Graham.

macNcheese3 · Post #7 » by **macNcheese3** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 8:29 am

Didn’t we pick him ahead of Danny Granger? Absolutely, blasphemous. But Granger had known knee issues during his stint at New Mexico. Graham, was a solid college player with above average athleticism. He was also very strong and chiziled, think he tested the highest in bench press.
But his inability to create his own shot, or become a decent playmaker led to his demise, however his defence was solid. He was basically a 6’7 PF playing SF. Sort of like Tucker but without a shot.

ratul · Post #8 » by **ratul** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 9:37 am

playing with negus webster-chan and Bebe in siberia - sadly.

Kabookalu · Post #9 » by **Kabookalu** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 10:27 am

Guy reminded me of the guys I played with at 24. Super buff bulky guys with no skill. With that said he might have honestly fit in today's league better. He was our best Dwight Howard defender, and he did solid against perimeter players iirc. Could have been a poor mans version of PJ Tucker playing the PF and sometimes C.

Kabookalu · Post #10 » by **Kabookalu** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 10:28 am

GreatWhiteStiff wrote:
Scott Hall wrote:Remember that old commercial where Calderon was calling for Joey?

"Joey, Joey, Joey!!!!!"

I member. Me and my brother had a bet about this. Somehow I misheard and thought he was saying Hey Tony. Once I heard Tony I couldn't hear Joey. I lost that bet. Sorry for the lame anecdote.

We could be thinking of different things, but I think it was a cartoon sketch. Jose's calling out Joey from the bench, then he gets punched in the face by Sonny Weems saying "the name's Sonny."

Scott Hall · Post #11 » by **Scott Hall** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 10:55 am

raptor jesus wrote:I've never seen a player vacillate between showing off intriguing skill to being completely devoid of skill on a game to game basis more than Joey Graham.

Good Joey...

Bad Joey

RonaldArtest · Post #12 » by **RonaldArtest** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 12:41 pm

Kawhi is everything I thought Joey G would become.

RonaldArtest · Post #13 » by **RonaldArtest** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 12:44 pm

macNcheese3 wrote:Didn’t we pick him ahead of Danny Granger? Absolutely, blasphemous. But Granger had known knee issues during his stint at New Mexico. Graham, was a solid college player with above average athleticism. He was also very strong and chiziled, think he tested the highest in bench press.
But his inability to create his own shot, or become a decent playmaker led to his demise, however his defence was solid. He was basically a 6’7 PF playing SF. Sort of like Tucker but without a shot.

Didn't Granger make it known he didn't want to be drafted by Toronto?

Kabookalu · Post #14 » by **Kabookalu** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 12:50 pm

RonaldArtest wrote:
macNcheese3 wrote:Didn’t we pick him ahead of Danny Granger? Absolutely, blasphemous. But Granger had known knee issues during his stint at New Mexico. Graham, was a solid college player with above average athleticism. He was also very strong and chiziled, think he tested the highest in bench press.
But his inability to create his own shot, or become a decent playmaker led to his demise, however his defence was solid. He was basically a 6’7 PF playing SF. Sort of like Tucker but without a shot.

Didn't Granger make it known he didn't want to be drafted by Toronto?

That was Gerald Green. I think everyone expected us to select Danny Granger. I remember an anecdote of Larry Bird on the phone with another GM looking to trade away his pick, then he heard Toronto select Joey Graham. Bird had a grin on his face, and hung up.

Our team would have looked so good with Granger and Bosh.

kwajo · Post #15 » by **kwajo** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 1:00 pm

Kabookalu wrote:
RonaldArtest wrote:
macNcheese3 wrote:Didn’t we pick him ahead of Danny Granger? Absolutely, blasphemous. But Granger had known knee issues during his stint at New Mexico. Graham, was a solid college player with above average athleticism. He was also very strong and chiziled, think he tested the highest in bench press.
But his inability to create his own shot, or become a decent playmaker led to his demise, however his defence was solid. He was basically a 6’7 PF playing SF. Sort of like Tucker but without a shot.

Didn't Granger make it known he didn't want to be drafted by Toronto?

That was Gerald Green. I think everyone expected us to select Danny Granger. I remember an anecdote of Larry Bird on the phone with another GM looking to trade away his pick, then he heard Toronto select Joey Graham. Bird had a grin on his face, and hung up.

Our team would have looked so good with Granger and Bosh.

Yeah, a prime Granger with CB4 would have been one of the better squads we could have assembled, it would have given us much better balance on the perimeter and a better closer than we ever had in that sad era.

As for Joey, he was the prototypical early-90s swingman draft pick, no outside shot, limited length and height, and too bulky. Great for banging against the guys like Maggette, but no versatility at all.

OakleyDokely · Post #16 » by **OakleyDokely** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 1:01 pm

Oh, the bad old days.

And1+2 · Post #17 » by **And1+2** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 1:03 pm

Why the hell do we need a thread every year dedicated to one of the scrubbiest scrubs to ever wear a Raps jersey? Nobody cares what happened to Joey Graham. Not this year, not not next year, not ever.

NeoDragonKnight · Post #18 » by **NeoDragonKnight** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 2:51 pm

played great filling in for Garbo down the stretch, then @#$% the bed in the playoffs so badly even his mother and brother called him out on it.

lolwut · Post #19 » by **lolwut** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 2:55 pm

Whatever happened to Joey Graham lookalike Stephen Graham?

HiMyNameIsTrey · Post #20 » by **HiMyNameIsTrey** » Mon Nov 5, 2018 2:59 pm

Interesting that he and Stephen Graham both were waived from their respective teams around the same time and couldn’t get back in the NBA. Twins for real. Wiki says Stephen Graham is an assistant coach for the Nuggets now