Devonte’ Graham arrived at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade last summer as one of the club’s headline signings, but his first steps in European basketball have proven far from smooth.
An injury suffered during a preseason game in mid-September delayed his debut, which finally came in Round 13 of the EuroLeague against Olympiacos Piraeus on November 26. In that win, Graham delivered his best EuroLeague performance so far with nine points and 15 PIR.
Since then, however, his role has diminished. From Round 17 onward, Graham has logged just over 23 total minutes and was a DNP in games against Anadolu Efes and Zalgiris Kaunas, despite being listed on the active roster.
Speaking to BasketNews, Graham made it clear that health is not the issue.
“Yes, I’m fine,” he said, explaining that his reduced playing time comes down to performance and coaching decisions.
“I’ve been struggling with shooting the ball, scoring, I guess. So the coach plays who he feels should be playing.”
Head coach Sasa Obradovic echoed that sentiment, noting that Graham still needs time to adapt to European basketball demands, particularly as a playmaker.
“He came later and needs time to understand what a European coach expects,” Obradovic said. “He works well, and with time, he will improve.”
Despite modest numbers so far — 3.0 points, 1.1 assists, and 0.9 PIR in seven EuroLeague appearances — Graham remains confident.
“I don’t lose confidence,” he said. “I know I’m capable. It’s about understanding the game, what the coach wants, and what the team needs.”
A six-year NBA veteran with 336 career games, Graham views the EuroLeague as a different challenge altogether:
“Every game matters here. You can’t take nights off like in the NBA.”
Signed to a one-year deal, Graham’s future in Europe remains open-ended, but he believes patience will be key to turning his season around.
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