Minnesota Timberwolves: Why Michael Beasley Is the NBA's Biggest Lockout Loser
This is not a reaction piece to “The Mush Heard 'Round the World.” Rather, this article was in the works long before Michael Beasley put his hands on a spectator during a playground game in New York City on Thursday night.
I loved the Minnesota Timberwolves' addition of Beasley last summer. Sure, he was a work in progress, but he had that old basketball cliche—upside. I loved watching him take over games on the offensive end. I admit, I even loved the way his personality came through on the floor. (Clapping along to the "Cha Cha Slide" after a made basket, while the ball was in play. Who does that?)
What continues to worry me about B-Easy, however, is the same thing that has worried critics since his controversial transfer from high school powerhouse Oak Hill Academy back in 2006—his immaturity.
Sure, at just 22 years old, Beasley is still maturing—both on the court and off. But the problem to this point has been his lack of progress, specifically off the court (or should I say off the NBA court).
Beasley left Oak Hill before his senior year, when the school learned that his eight semesters of high school eligibility had expired. He landed at Notre Dame Prep School in Massachusetts, where his basketball exploits (28 points and 16 rebounds per game) outweighed his character concerns.
Beasley was widely considered to be the top power forward prospect in the country, but not all of his assessments were positive. ESPN had this to say: “He looks bored playing at Notre Dame Prep. He turns it on for several minutes at a time, but then goes back to being extremely lazy and uninterested. This has been a trait he has carried with him from Oak Hill, and he must change if he intends to be a high level NBA player some day.”
Still, Beasley won MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American Game and received offers from Connecticut, Georgetown, Syracuse and USC before choosing Kansas State. Yet again, it appeared that Beasley's style had outweighed his substance (no pun intended).
His one season at K-State was best-case Beasley. He stayed out of trouble and thrived as the Wildcats' top dog, posting 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game on his way to Big 12 POY honors.
Beasley was widely considered one of the top two prospects in the 2008 NBA draft. During the annual pre-draft process, Beasley dubiously offered, “On the basketball court, I’m 30 years old. Off the court, I don’t know how mature you want me to be, I don’t know if you want me to act 25, 30 or 40. I’m 19, I’m a kid, I’m going to live me life, I’m going to mess up. I don’t know everything. I’m learning day by day.”
Not long after, ESPN.com ran an blog post entitled, “What Brand of Crazy is Michael Beasley?” Still, Beasely's basketball skills were irrefutable, and Pat Riley and the Miami Heat selected him No. 2 overall.
After two high profile marijuana-related incidents and two underwhelming seasons in Miami (14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game), Beasley was traded to Minnesota on July 12, 2010 for two second-round draft picks. For the first time, basketball wasn't enough to save Beasley from himself.
Beasley had a nice season for the Timberwolves, increasing his scoring average to 19.2 points per game, including a streak of six straight 25+ point games in November.
However, with an indefinite NBA lockout in progress, Beasley may stand to lose more than any other player in the league.
From a purely basketball standpoint, Beasley's skill—although undeniable—are still very raw. His transition to the small forward position is still a work in progress, and on a young team with such high roster turnover, synergy and cohesion are even more crucial. With the entire 2011-2012 season in question, these processes may have to wait.
Off the court, Beasley appears to have made my point for me. He's confident, boisterous, well-connected and rich. And, suddenly, he has a wealth of time on his hands. That's a dangerous cocktail for a young man who hasn't grasped what it means to truly be an adult.
If this latest incident causes Beasley to re-evaluate the ways in which he makes decisions, he can still salvage a long and successful NBA career. If not, he's in danger of going the way of Rashad McCants—spending his mid-to-late twenties wondering what could have been. Because, at least for now, B-Easy doesn't have b-ball to fall back on.
