Michael Beasley was on the path to becoming one of the best NBA players of his generation. The hype around him coming out of high school was extremely high, as he played alongside Kevin Durant in one of the best AAU teams in the country. He then played for the Kansas State Wildcats before being drafted #2 in 2008 by the Miami Heat.
Beasley would be traded a year after being drafted and would go to the Minnesota Timberwolves before becoming an NBA journeyman, playing for multiple teams. He last played in the league in 2019 with the Los Angeles Lakers and is currently playing in Puerto Rico.
Former NBA guard Delonte West has been given a lot of support from the NBA community to get his life back on track after addiction issues ruined his NBA career. Beasley, who had similar struggles as West, wasn't given the same help, and he spoke about it very openly.
“Do I have to be in Delonte West’s shoes to get help?” asked Beasley. “No disrespect to Delonte West or people in his position. But what does it take to do the right thing? My whole life I asked for help. People called me crazy. I don’t leave the house. I play basketball, and I go home. I don’t care what y’all do no more. I try to talk to my kids as much as I can. I’ve reached out so much, so many times to different people and it’s just, I have to die with some kind of dignity.”
Delonte West's story came into prominence in 2020 after he was seen homeless and getting into roadside brawls. He was taken in by Mark Cuban, who has given West a space to be rehabilitated. He was recently seen trying out for the Big3 Basketball League.
Beasley's comments are not to attack West, but to bring attention to the larger issue of many athletes being in situations that Delonte was in but not getting the same help he received. Here's hoping that Beasley can continue having the positive outlook he has forced himself to develop in order to continue his basketball career.
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