Michael Beasley
(born January 9, 1989, in Frederick, MD) was considered among the elite high school basketball players of the 2007 class. Beasley stands 6' 10", plays both forward positions, and is right-handed, however he shoots his jump shot left-handed. He plays basketball for
Kansas State University. In the 2008 season, he has largely lived up to expectations and is widely touted as the greatest freshman and possibly the best overall college basketball player in the NCAA. Beasley's parents are Fatima Smith and Mike Jones. He has two brothers, Leroy and Malik, and two younger sisters, Mychaela and Tiffany.
High School
Beasley was the top-ranked (class of 2011(college)) high school basketball player in the country, according to Rivals.com.
Beasley spent his earliest years in St. Louis, MO, before moving to Prince George's County, Maryland. While growing up in Maryland, Beasley played for one the country's most successful AAU youth teams at the time, the PG Jaguars. Beasley won multiple national championships with this team alongside future fellow blue-chip recruits Kevin Durant (University of Texas) and Chris Braswell (Georgetown University). Beasley later moved on to play AAU ball for DC Assault's 17 & Under team, playing alongside such players as current KSU teammate Ron Anderson, Nolan Smith (Duke University), Chris Wright (Georgetown University), Austin Freeman (Georgetown University), and Julian Vaughn (Florida State University). During this time Beasley also attended a number of high schools including Bowie High School (Bowie, MD), National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, MD), The Pendleton School (a section of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL), Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, MD), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA), and Notre Dame Preparatory School (Fitchburg, MA).
He was named as a 2006 USA Men's U18 National Team member on June 26, 2006. Beasley averaged team highs of 13.8 ppg. and 8.3 rpg at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men in San Antonio, Texas. He ranked fifth in rebounds per game (8.3 rpg) among all 2006 tournament leaders, and he ranks third all-time in the USA Men's U18 record book.
He is close friends with fellow college basketball stars Nolan Smith,
O.J. Mayo, and fellow Kansas State players Ron Anderson and Bill Walker.
With the departure of Kansas State University head coach Bob Huggins to West Virginia University, it was rumored that Beasley would be interested in following. But with KSU's retention of Beasley's former AAU coach, Dalonte Hill, Beasley decided to remain a Wildcat.
Kansas State
Beasley began his freshman year at Kansas State in the fall of 2007. Through 24 games, Beasley has been one of the most dominating players in the country, averaging 25.7 points (fourth in the country) and 12.6 rebounds per game (first in the country). He broke the freshman double-double record previously held by Carmelo Anthony. Anthony had 22 double-doubles in his only season at Syracuse in 2002-03. Beasley currently has 23 double-doubles. Beasley set a career high and
Big 12 record with 44 points in a loss at Baylor on February 23, 2008.
Beasley has guided the Wildcats to a 18-6 record, including a win at Oklahoma a victory against Texas A&M, and a victory against the University of Kansas, marking the first time in over four years that Kansas State has defeated a Top 10 team at home. (Kansas State beat #10 Texas on March 6, 2004.) Beasley also led the Wildcats to a victory over then-unbeaten and #2 Kansas in Manhattan for the first time in 24 years. The win partially backed up a boast he had made even before the season about K-State's prospects against the Jayhawks:
Michael Beasley Team USA Experience :
Michael Beasley is a member of the 2007
USA Basketball under-19 World Championship roster coached by Jerry Wainwright...
Michael Beasley helped the U.S. to an 8-1 record and a silver medal at the 2007 FIBA World Championship in Novi Sad, Serbia... Michael Beasley averaged 12.3 points on 55.1 percent shooting with 5.3 rebounds with six starts... Michael Beasley ranked second on the team in scoring and rebounding... Michael Beasley is a member of the USA Basketball Junior National Team that posted a 100-89 win over the World Select Team in April at the 2007
Nike Hoops Summit... Michael Beasley is a member of the 2007 USA Basketball under-18 National Team... Michael Beasley helped the U.S. to a perfect 4-0 record and a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in San Antonio, Texas... Michael Beasley led the squad in scoring (13.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.3 rpg.)... Ranked third at the FIBA tournament in rebounding, fifth in offensive rebounds (3.75), eighth in both field goal percentage (.525) and defensive rebounds (4.5), 10th in scoring, 12th in free throw percentage (.684) and 13th in steals (1.5)... Michael Beasley rebounding total is third all-time in the USA men’s under-18 record book.
If Beasley decides to go into the 2008 NBA Draft, most websites project the
Miami Heat will draft Michael Beasley.
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