But he’s not about to believe that.

“This is it for me for college basketball,” he said after KU’s 79-71 overtime loss to Georgia Tech on Sunday. “But I think I’m going even farther.”

Graves’ two-year career at KU ended Sunday with a mediocre line — four points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.

Georgia Tech countered KU’s big men — usually Graves and junior Wayne Simien — with 7-foot-1 center Luke Schenscher, and Graves often had trouble getting open looks inside. Of his two field goals, one was a 17-foot jump shot in the opening minutes.

KU’s elimination from the NCAA Tournament meant Graves’ roller coaster college career came to a quiet close. He averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season and 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for his career.

“Everybody sees how big he stepped up in the tournament,” Simien said. “He’s been through a lot, taken the team through a lot, but he’s learned a lot, and we’ve learned a lot.

“Hopefully he takes some of the lessons learned from being on this team and the things we’ve been through and applies it to whatever he’s going to do after he’s finished here at Kansas.”

Graves seemed adamant that post-Kansas life would be in professional basketball, either in the NBA or overseas. At 6-foot-9, 255 pounds, his size alone makes him a commodity. But his bouts with tardiness and laziness probably have turned some heads the other way.

But Graves has dealt with the cynics more than anybody in KU’s locker room.

“Most people doubted me,” Graves said. “They were like, ‘Graves can’t do this, Graves can’t do that.’ But I proved everybody wrong. And in the end, I’m going to be laughing at them, because I’m going to keep going.”

Graves is the only significant contributor lost to graduation on KU’s team. Bryant Nash and walk-on Brett Olson were the other two seniors.

Regardless, Graves’ void at KU looks to be taken care of, with Simien and freshman David Padgett returning and two big recruits — Darnell Jackson and Alexander “Sasha” Kaun — coming to KU next year.

Graves won’t look back on his college days, which started at Iowa Western Community College and ended Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. Instead, he’ll look forward.

“I plan on going on and playing basketball somewhere,” Graves said. “My future looks bright.”