In a recent interview, NBA super-agent Rich Paul shed light on the reasons behind Michael Beasley’s prolonged absence from the NBA. Beasley, once hailed as one of the most talented players to ever touch a basketball, has not played in an NBA game since the 2018-19 season. Despite his undeniable talent, Beasley’s career has been marred by a series of challenges that have kept him off the court.
Michael Beasley entered the NBA with high expectations. Drafted second overall by the Miami Heat in 2008, he showcased his scoring prowess early on. Over his 11-season career, Beasley played for several teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. His best season came in 2010-11 with the Timberwolves, where he averaged 19.2 points per game.
Rich Paul, who represents some of the biggest names in the NBA, including LeBron James, recently discussed Beasley’s situation on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast. Paul emphasized that while Beasley is incredibly talented, talent alone isn’t enough to sustain a long NBA career.
“Michael Beasley is probably one of the most talented guys to ever touch a basketball,” Paul said. “But talent also has to be able to value infrastructure. And I know Michael Beasley personally, and Michael Beasley is a good dude… I’m sure if he had the opportunity to do it over again, he would take a different approach.”
Paul highlighted the importance of professionalism and character in today’s NBA. He noted that many players who fail to maintain professional standards often find themselves out of the league, regardless of their talent.
“Yesterday, I looked for talent, high-level talent,” Paul stated. “Today, high-level character and talent because as you guys know, the professional aspect of this whole thing is so important, man. When you get to that year 12-13, and that talent had ran out, you gotta be able to lean on past professionalism to keep you afloat.
You sit back and be like, ‘Why he ain’t in the league?’ In most cases it’s because while they were there and the talent was here (upward gesture) they disregarded the professionalism. And those same people that were in those decision-making positions are now on different teams or that was in a lesser role is now in a decision-making role and they don’t want to deal with it.”
Beasley’s career has also been affected by off-court issues. In 2020, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets but tested positive for COVID-19 before playing a game, leading to the voiding of his contract. Additionally, Beasley has struggled with consistency and finding the right fit within teams, often playing out of position.
Despite these setbacks, Beasley has continued to play basketball at a high level outside the NBA. He recently won the MVP award in The Big3, a professional 3-on-3 basketball league.
