We continue building our rolodex of prospect scouting reports for the Charlotte Hornets as we inch ever closer to the 2026 NBA Draft. We’ve had a steady diet of power forwards, and we’re going to continue that trend today since there are so many options at that position projected to go around where the Hornets pick in the teens. Today’s subject: Santa Clara forward Allen Graves.
Measurements
Height: 6’7.75″
Weight: 225.6 pounds
Wingspan: 7’0″
Standing reach: 8’10.5″
Standing vertical: 27.5″
Max vertical: 34″
Strengths
Analytical profile, Defensive play making, offensive versatility
Graves’ key selling point is in his statistical profile. His box plus-minus, which is a kind of overall measure of a player’s contributions, rivals those of players that are expected to go in the first handful of picks. His statistical profile is usually reserved for elite, blue-chip prospects or elite older college players that havn’t made the jump to the NBA. It’s very rare to see a player with his overall production as a freshman be viewed as a mid to late first round pick. The fact that he did it coming off the bench for Santa Clara provides some context for that but also adds to the mystique.
A big factor in those analytic green flags is just how many defensive events Graves is responsible for. He averaged 3 steals and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes. He has extremely quick, accurate hands, and he’s always hunting the ball. That mentality made him very foul prone, but it was still effective. He picks the pockets of dribblers on the ball and has a knack for sticking his hand in and poking the ball away if someone tries to dribble by him. He’s not a very twitchy athlete, but he more than makes up for it with his ability to read the game. That helps him block shots as well. He blocks them quickly before the shooter fully elevate to finish, and he positions himself well to use his length to disrup attempts around the basket. He simply looks like he’s always on the hunt to make plays. He’s never on autopilot.
The processing speed that allows him to generate so many stocks on defense makes him a unique offensive weapon. He averaged 2.9 assists versus just 1.1 turnovers per 36 minutes, an incredibly solid ratio for a power forward. He’s not dishing no-look dimes or threading the needle with highlight reel passes or anything, but he makes quick, correct decisions, which is vital as a connective piece within an offense. While not a dynamic creator, he’s able to put himself in position to finish plays as roller, cutter, or spot up shooter. He has really good hands, which also help him corral offensive rebounds at a really high rate.
Question Marks
Athleticism, scoring potential
One of the most common things you’ll read about Graves is something along the lines of “I know he’s an analytics darling, but I don’t see it when I watch the tape.” Graves doesn’t really move like a star basketball player. He’s a little heavy footed and his movements can be a little jerky and not all that smooth. He’s not a great athlete, and that was verified by his testing at the combine. The NBA game has gotten less vertical over the years, so athleticism isn’t as important as it used to be, but there’s still a threshold that has to be met to not get physically run off the floor and. I think Graves surpasses that threshold, but it’s closer than you’d like.
With those athletic question marks come questions about what Graves does at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. He’s not a dynamic ball handler, so he can’t really be counted on to create anything for himself as a scorer. He looks like a play finisher, and even then, his lack of lift can make it hard for him to finish in traffic at the rim. He was a good 3-point shooter in his lone collegiate season, but his release is pretty slow and unconventional, which fair or not makes it a little harder to trust the production.
Overview
Graves’ draft stock seems largely hampered by his athleticism, but I think that’s a trait that gets overvalued this time of year. People get drawn to the prospects that stand out while undervaluing guys that simply play good basketball. The Hornets ended up with a similarly under appreciated player last year in Kon Knueppel, and that turned out pretty well. Graves profiles as a player in the Draymond Green archetype. He’s obviously highly unlikely to make that level of impact, but the profiles are similar. He doesn’t have a great physical profile outside his arm length, but he uses that length and elite processing to play simple but effective basketball. Jaylin Williams of the Thunder is another comparison I’ve seen. The path to stardom is probably unlikely, but a path to a very effective role player seems very likely for Graves. His value will come down to what kind of outcome the Hornets are searching for when they make their picks.
