Failed Draft Pick Michael Beasley Regrets Not Listening To Pat Riley While On Miami Heat

Michael Beasley’s career didn’t pan out as he would have hope and in a recent podcast, he explained that had he had listened to Pat Riley, some things might have been different

Beasley explained how if he had a chance to do it all over again, he would have taken the advice from the NBA legend, putting himself in a better position to succeed off the court.

“Pat told me to get a condo for me and my mom. I got a 6-bedroom house, dogs, homies staying in… that’s where the problems came from,” Beasley explains.

“If I did it all over again, I would’ve listened to Pat Riley. Pat Riley told me to get a condo, get two bedrooms, one for my mom when she’s coming to town, and everybody else figure it out. I went the polar opposite, and my excuse to him was I grew up in an apartment and I needed some space,” Beasley said.

Michael Beasley entered the NBA in 2008 as the No. 2 overall pick after a dominant freshman season at Kansas State, where he averaged over 26 points and 12 rebounds per game.

After being selected by the Heat, expectations were high for him to become a franchise cornerstone alongside Dwyane Wade. In his first two seasons with Miami, he showed flashes of scoring brilliance with his versatile offensive game, averaging double-digit points and establishing himself as a capable starter. However, questions about his consistency, focus, and defensive intensity began to surface.

In 2010, Miami reshaped its roster with the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and Beasley was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves to make salary cap space. In Minnesota, Beasley had his best statistical year during the 2010–11 season, averaging nearly 19 points per game and appearing to be on the verge of stardom. Yet injuries and off-court concerns hampered his growth, and his production declined over the next two seasons. Despite his scoring ability, he struggled to find a consistent role due to defensive shortcomings and lapses in discipline.

After brief stints with the Suns and a second run with the Heat, Beasley became more of a journeyman than the star many projected. He bounced between the NBA and overseas leagues, playing for the Rockets, Bucks, and later spending time in China, where, of course, his scoring prowess once again shined. Each NBA return showed glimpses of his offensive talent—he could still score efficiently in spurts—but his inability to fully adjust to evolving NBA roles limited his long-term impact.