Why did Michael Beasley bust in the NBA?

HypeMode · Post #1 » by **HypeMode** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:33 am

Beasley was so dominant in college. Kevin Durant came in as a freshmen and destroyed the Big 12. Beasley comes in a year later and plays even better. He averaged more points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and FG% than Durant. Beasley was 6-9, 235 lbs compared to Durant's 6-9, 215 lbs. He was more athletic and stronger than KD. Why couldn't Beasley translate that into the NBA?

SNPA · Post #2 » by **SNPA** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:34 am

IB4 - “weed”

EH15 · Post #3 » by **EH15** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:41 am

Incredibly low basketball IQ

Big J · Post #4 » by **Big J** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:41 am

Attitude.

Sane · Post #5 » by **Sane** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:42 am

Doesn't love competitive basketball as much as we hoped. That affects growth and consistency in that field.

Also, there's a massive chunk of humans who perform better when there's no money or accolade involved (after security is achieved of course).

GregOden · Post #6 » by **GregOden** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:46 am

HypeMode wrote:Beasley was so dominant in college. Kevin Durant came in as a freshmen and destroyed the Big 12. Beasley comes in a year later and plays even better. He averaged more points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and FG% than Durant. Beasley was 6-9, 235 lbs compared to Durant's 6-9, 215 lbs. He was more athletic and stronger than KD. Why couldn't Beasley translate that into the NBA?

Well your proposition is wrong in terms of comparing their size. Beasly measured at 6'7 with a 7'0 wingspan at the combine, whereas Durant measured 6'9 with a 7'6 wingspan. Huge difference in size for an NBA 4.

Post #7 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:48 am

He was amazing, but he was one of those guys that did a lot of his damage based around his size in the paint, and he wasn’t large enough to transfer that over, and his quickness and penetration as a perimeter player wasn’t enough to take him above being around a 20 ppg guy.

Now a 20ish ppg scorer is great, if he wants to get after defensively and is a good passer, but he wasn’t.

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elchengue20 · Post #8 » by **elchengue20** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:49 am

No defense and no IQ.

Plus KD continued his growth into a 7 footer with guard skills. Beasley remained the same. In College he often relied on a bully post game that coudnt translate that easily to the NBA.

Other prospects like Marcus Fizer, Jahlil Okafor or Tyrus Thomas had similar issues in the pros.

Big J · Post #9 » by **Big J** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 2:57 am

Speaking of KD aren't him & Beasley best friends?

DaPessimist · Post #10 » by **DaPessimist** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:04 am

Attitude and IQ. Hard to believe him and KD are/were best friends.

Don't forget it wasn't all smooth sailing for KD when he entered the league. He struggled, improved, and persevered. Not everyone is built to compete against the best in the World.

clyde21 · Post #11 » by **clyde21** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:10 am

HotelVitale · Post #12 » by **HotelVitale** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:16 am

NO-KG-AI wrote:He was amazing, but he was one of those guys that did a lot of his damage based around his size in the paint, and he wasn’t large enough to transfer that over, and his quickness and penetration as a perimeter player wasn’t enough to take him above being around a 20 ppg guy. Now a 20ish ppg scorer is great, if he wants to get after defensively and is a good passer, but he wasn’t.

That's mostly right, except he also wasn't NBA quick--he had an okay pro first step but it was mostly just enough to get midrange separation that allowed him to shoot pull-ups. That's an extremely hard way to make a living in the NBA, and he never became elite at it or anything.

I remember watching him one game on the Wolves where he took two dribbles to his left and fired a jumper like 8 possessions in a row. That's all I remember about Beasley in action.

heezyo2o · Post #13 » by **heezyo2o** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:16 am

His career might have been different if he could have stayed in Miami. Wade, Riley and others might have kept him in check

art_tatum · Post #14 » by **art_tatum** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:17 am

Gonna be controversial and say no team gave him the chance and support to be the face of a franchise. He was trying to be side kick to wade with a short leash before being traded

Do i believe this? Not really, but offering an alternative.

dlts20 · Post #15 » by **dlts20** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:24 am

Watch on YouTube

shi-woo · Post #16 » by **shi-woo** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:24 am

He was an unfortunate "tweener" in the era of basketball where that was considered a death sentence. He would have a much better career in todays NBA, but back then having Beas try to guard wings or bigger PF was just a disaster.

It also didn't help that the Heat were in "try to appease DWade at all cost" mode his rookie year, and pretty much knew they were landing LeBron by his sophmore year. They literally just salary dumped him.

Then he went to the worst run franchise in sports, cemented his terrible habits, and the rest is history. He went from one terrible team to the next. MIN, PHX, NYK, LA when they were a dumpster fire.

I don't think he ever would have been an all-star level player, I don't think he had the mentality, but I still hold that he could have had a Rudy Guy type of career if he just didn't play for trash franchises and was given a diffinitive role.

jlokine · Post #17 » by **jlokine** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:31 am

SNPA wrote:IB4 - “weed”

first thing that came to my mind..

dc · Post #18 » by dc » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:38 am

He was pretty lazy and, as mentioned, wasn't quick enough to beat guys off the dribble and he wasn't that big in the pros to just dominate around the basket, either. Basically a lot like Glen Robinson, except he accomplished a lot less than Big Dog.

Both those guys were a load to handle around the basket for college defenses. Once they hit the pros, they had to transition to a more perimeter oriented game. Robinson in his prime became really good from mid-range, but never expanded his game beyond that.

Kobblehead · Post #19 » by **Kobblehead** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 3:52 am

The tangible reasons being listed in this thread are worth noting, but let's be real. 90% of why he busted was due to the neck-up.

Post #20 » by **Capn'O** » Tue Mar 2, 2021 4:03 am

HotelVitale wrote:
NO-KG-AI wrote:He was amazing, but he was one of those guys that did a lot of his damage based around his size in the paint, and he wasn’t large enough to transfer that over, and his quickness and penetration as a perimeter player wasn’t enough to take him above being around a 20 ppg guy. Now a 20ish ppg scorer is great, if he wants to get after defensively and is a good passer, but he wasn’t.

That's mostly right, except he also wasn't NBA quick--he had an okay pro first step but it was mostly just enough to get midrange separation that allowed him to shoot pull-ups. That's an extremely hard way to make a living in the NBA, and he never became elite at it or anything.

I remember watching him one game on the Wolves where he took two dribbles to his left and fired a jumper like 8 possessions in a row. That's all I remember about Beasley in action.

Best answers. Not that I'm some great scout but I remember thinking that his game wouldn't translate for the reasons you both stated. He just seemed to overwhelm his limited competition but NBA guys could take away his bread and butter moves and he didn't seem to have the guile to make up for it.

I also loved Obi Toppin so go figure. He looked taller at Dayton :dontknow: