Michael Beasley, the second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, recently opened up about how teams misused him throughout his career.
In a candid interview on the Club 520 Podcast, Beasley revealed that he felt he was never given the chance to play his true position.
“Everybody played me as a four because of college, but I’ve been playing out of position my whole career,” Beasley stated, via HoopsHype.
He explained that he believes his skill set would have been better suited for positions one, two, or three, not four.
Beasley highlighted that his size and defensive abilities would have made him more effective in guard or small forward roles.
“I could’ve [expletive] up the pick-and-roll game with Kyle O’Quinn and Kristaps Porzingis,” Beasley added, discussing his time with the New York Knicks.
He blamed the mismanagement of his role on the team’s struggles and head coach Jeff Hornacek being under pressure at the time.
“Jeff Hornacek was on the hot seat, and Porzingis didn’t really know how to play good, winning basketball,” Beasley remarked.
Despite the frustrations, Beasley enjoyed a respectable NBA career, averaging 12.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.8 minutes per game.
His best season came in 2010-11 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he averaged 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 32.3 minutes per game.
Although Beasley’s NBA journey didn’t reach the heights some expected after his stellar college career at Kansas State, he remains a respected figure in basketball.
