Michael Beasley one and done at Kansas St.
Published 11:33 pm Monday, April 14, 2008
MANHATTAN, Kan. — After putting together one of the finest freshman seasons ever, Michael Beasley is headed to the NBA.
Kansas State’s All-American freshman announced Monday that he will skip his final three college seasons to enter the June 26 NBA draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick.
“It’s time to take my game to the next level,” Beasley said as his family and several teammates looked on. “I think I proved myself over the course of the season. I just think it’s time for new challenges.”
Beasley dominated his lone college season, averaging 26.2 points and becoming just the third freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounds at 12.4 per game. He had the second-most rebounds and third-most points by a freshman in NCAA history, helping K-State to its first NCAA tourney win in 20 years.
Beasley also was a consensus All American, was named Big 12 player of the year and finished second to North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough in the voting for numerous player-of-the-year awards.
“Mike’s as good as I’ve seen,” said Kansas State coach Frank Martin, seated next to Beasley in front of dozens of reporters.
NBA scouts and general managers like him, too.
An agile, 6-foot-10 power forward, Beasley is exceptionally versatile, able to power his way inside or step out to the perimeter, where he shot 37 percent from 3-point range.
NBA officials came out in droves to watch him play, leading to speculation that Beasley would be the No. 1 overall draft pick if he left school early.
Millions of dollars await Beasley in the NBA, but it still wasn’t an easy decision to leave school.
He spent the weekend debating whether he should stay or go, talking with family, friends and coaches about the NBA. It wasn’t until Monday morning, just hours before his self-imposed deadline, that Beasley made his final decision.
“I kind of made my mind up, then went back to being undecided, made my mind up, then went back to being undecided,” said Beasley, who signed with agent Joe Bell. “Today was when my decision stuck.”
Beasley leaned heavily on his mother, Fatima Smith, and Martin in making his decision.
“The best thing I could have done was let him breathe, come to some decisions on his own, let him come to me with some questions,” Smith said. “And once he came to me with some questions, I kind of guided him and turned the questions around: ‘What would you do or how do you think this would happen?’”
Martin didn’t hesitate in offering his opinion.
Certainly, he would have loved to have Beasley for three more years, but as someone who scratched and clawed his way out of a poor neighborhood to make a name for himself, Martin knew what going to the NBA would mean for Beasley and his family.
“I’m of the opinion if someone has the opportunity to be worth $100 million, they go take advantage when that opportunity presents itself because that window isn’t always open,” Martin said.
