Former KU guard Devonté Graham puts on 3-point shooting display at Roundball Classic

Matched against his good friend and former Kansas basketball teammate Svi Mykhailiuk in a three-point contest, Devonté Graham calmly swished nine straight shots from behind the arc en route to an 18-of-25 shooting performance on Thursday night at Lawrence’s Free State High School.

“I was hot, right?” Graham, a 26-year-old former KU point guard from Raleigh, North Carolina, said after defeating fellow NBA player Mykhailiuk 18 makes to 15 in a halftime duel at the 13th-annual Rock Chalk Roundball Classic KU alumni basketball game.

“When I came out (to shoot), they told me because of my new deal I must be excited,” Graham added with a smile after his remarkable shooting display.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Graham — who scored 19 points in the KU alumni Blue team’s 108-97 loss to Mykhailiuk’s Red squad in the actual 40-minute game — was playing in Lawrence just a few days after leaving the Charlotte Hornets to sign a lucrative four-year, $47 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The 24-year-old Mykhailiuk, who is a restricted free agent with the Oklahoma City Thunder, scored eight points for the winners, but did lose the three-point showdown.

“Oh man, you know Svi. I’ve always been a better shooter than Svi, always,” Graham said with a smile.

The two put on a brief, yet amazing, three-point display during a stretch in the first half of the Roundball Classic game.

First Graham hit a deep three, then the 6-foot-7 Mykhailiuk answered by banking in a three. On the next possession, Graham drilled a three released just past halfcourt. Mykhailiuk answered again with another banked in three.

“When we’re together we always have a good time,” Graham said of he and Mykhailiuk, teammates at KU from 2015 to 2018.

“This was a lot of fun coming back. It’s always bigger than you. You’ve got to give back,” Graham said of playing for charity.

Proceeds from the 13th-annual Classic were to support three area families battling cancer.

“All of us who come back and show the love and support … the love we got here as players you’ve got to give back. This event is a special one. You’ve got to do it,” Graham added.

As far as the business of his new contract, Graham, who spent the first three years of his career with the Charlotte Hornets, said: “I’m excited for the contract. It’s definitely life changing and a blessing. It’s a matter now of remaining who I am.

“It’s a new start. I haven’t met all the guys yet (in New Orleans). I’m excited to get down there and start a new journey.”

Graham said the signing of the contract as a restricted free agent capped “a crazy summer. You never know (if there will be free-agent offers). Obviously everybody says it’s a business. My agent kind of prepared me for it. I started to mentally prepare myself, that maybe I won’t be in Charlotte, maybe I won’t be in my home state.”

Graham recently thanked the Hornets fans on social media for their support the last three years.

“I’m happy with the way it turned out. You’ve got to go with life, man. Being from North Carolina, being able to represent the NBA team in my state and my city, it was a blessing. I appreciate everybody for giving me the opportunity to be there and represent,” Graham said.

Graham was leading scorer on the losing Blue team. Mario Little scored 18 points, Marcus Morris 15 and Tyrel Reed 12 for the Blues.

Markieff Morris hit seven threes and scored 21 points for the winning Red team.

“I’m still waiting for my MVP trophy,” Morris joked after a performance that included hitting a pair of corner threes when guarded by his brother, Marcus of the Los Angeles Clippers.

“This is an easy court to shoot on,” said Markieff, 31, who is headed to the Miami Heat on a one-year contract after playing for the Lakers last season.

Tyshawn Taylor scored 19 points, while Ben McLemore scored 16 points off a variety of dunks and Elijah Johnson had 15 for the victors.

“It’s good to come back (to Lawrence). We need to do it more often, at least one or two times a year,” Markieff Morris said.

BOX SCORE

BLUE TEAM (97)

Devonté Graham 19, Mario Little 18, Marcus Morris 15, Tyrel Reed 12, Sherron Collins 9, Cole Aldrich 8, Jeff Graves 7, Ron Kellogg 5, Todd Reesing 4, Russell Robinson 0, Carolyn Davis 0, Derek Fine 0,

RED TEAM (108)

Markieff Morris 21, Tyshawn Taylor 19, Ben McLemore 16, Elijah Johnson 15, Billy Thomas 9, Svi Mykhailiuk 8, Danielle McCray 9, Travis Releford 5, Clay Young 2, Brandon McAnderson 2, Natalie Knight 2.

Halftime: Red 67, Blue 50.