Love and basketball… and Michael Beasley’s Xbox
Michael Beasley is better than Kevin Love at rebounding… on his Xbox.
This was among the things that Beasley shared with the Minneapolis-based CBS affiliate WCCO-TV last March.
“My favorite thing from my childhood is video games. I play NBA 2K11 now. I play with the Minnesota Timberwolves and I shoot every shot with myself, so that’s my favorite thing to do. I’m averaging right now 47.3 points and 15 rebounds.”
In real life, Beasley’s numbers aren’t nearly as staggering, but it’s in Minnesota where he’s beginning to realize the potential that many had thought was lost in Miami.
More and more, however, he is doing so in the increasingly long cast of Kevin Love’s shadow.
He’s not making it easy on himself either. Most recently, he played a Nike streetball tour game in New York with his long-term friend (and growing New York streetball legend) Kevin Durant. During the exhibition, Beasley aggressively shoved a heckling spectator in the face, and the inevitable cell phone video hit the web.
More seriously though, on June 26, 2011, Beasley found himself in real trouble as a cop pulled his car over for speeding, smelled a strong odor of marijuana and then found a stash of it under the passenger seat.
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Though it comes as no surprise following a 2009 incident in which the small forward did himself in over Twitter, Beasley was fined and ticketed, and will likely be dealt with once the lockout is lifted.
If you made a list of misunderstood players in the NBA, no matter how vague a definition of the term was used, Michael Beasley would rank towards the top. Kevin Love, who built a reputation as one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, would likely be the first to agree that his friend’s increasingly malicious reputation doesn’t exactly suit him.
The two power forwards, it should be noted, have also been friends for some time.
From amateur elite leagues to the NBA, Love and Beasley’s friendship is indicative of the growing ties between NBA stars before they make it as professionals. Though Love played at UCLA and Beasley flourished at Kansas State, numerous showcase tournaments and All-American events gave the two a chance to get to know each other.
A great point of reference is the film Gunnin’ For That No. 1 Spot, where both stars make their first appearance at the hallowed Rucker Park in Harlem as a sort of coming-of-age into the world of pro ball. The film lends evidence of Beasley’s good-natured sense of humor, suggesting that his latest playground antics are all in good fun. In an honest profile of his path to college and the pros, a teenaged Beasley is shown as hard-working as he is distracted.
On his blog written for GQ magazine, Love wrote fondly of his teammate and old friend, albeit in a roundabout way.
“I’ve known Mike since I was 13 or 14 years old. We played against each other on lots of traveling teams. Even then he was always real loud, the guy at the back of the bus who’s screaming and yelling and goofing around, and the coaches in the front are always yelling at him to knock it off. And now? It’s like he’s 22 years old going on eight. […] You’ll be hearing a lot of crazy stories about him. On the floor, he’s adapting great to our team. He’s a sexy superstar type of player. People come to watch him. They’ll get up on their feet even for some of his mistakes, because even his mistakes are so exciting. He’s a great player and he really gets the crowd involved.”
Regardless of potential or intent, Beasley’s reputation now hinges on some rather infamous behavior. The incident at the Dyckman Game in New York is forgivable, and regardless of your thoughts on Beas’ occasional toke, there are rules he has to follow and clear repercussions if he doesn’t. If Love is right and the talent is there, Beasley’s future in the NBA rests in his own hands in terms of how he wants to handle himself.
But Beasley’s antics aren’t the only show in town. For such a small market team, the Minnesota Timberwolves are making a lot of noise this offseason, especially when no one is certain that there are actually going to be any NBA games in the near future. A series of unproductive seasons have rightfully yielded tomes of criticism, but it’s the off-the-court activity that is drawing attention to a team that few paid attention to on the court.
After a muted 2010-11 season in the NBA’s most northerly city, the T-Wolves have finally wrangled their point guard from his Spanish captors, unceremoniously left their head coach adrift before firing him, and drafted a high lottery pick that gives them one-too-many power forwards.
Though significantly deep at the point guard position – after ditching Jonny Flynn they still retain Ricky Rubio, and equally serviceable Sebastian Telfair and Luke Ridnour – it’s but kibble compared to their four-person depth at power forward.
Their one shining beacon of hope has since become a personality to follow. Tweeting from the cold shadow of small-market Minnesota garnered their lone All-Star, Kevin Love, plenty of attention from corporate America. The attention is warranted. Drafted fifth overall in 2008, the 6’10” power forward managed to rebound and score his way to 53 consecutive double-doubles in only his third professional season, setting the new record in the recent 35-year modern history of the NBA.
For a 17-win team that would find itself at the bottom of the NBA, he also netted his first All-Star appearance and the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
A small basketball market, however, is not necessarily a small media market. Minneapolis is home to corporate giants Target and Best Buy, with whom Love has signed endorsement deals. He’s also made appearances in Old Spice and Jose Curevo ad campaigns nationally. His friendly attitude, sense of humor and comfort using social media to connect with fans are a marketer’s dream when packaged with his ability on the court and still-boyish smile.
Behind Love at power forward in some shape or form are Beasley, Anthony Randolph and second overall draft pick Derrick Williams. The three-spot is equally full, as all but Love can transition between the two. Minnesota has astonishingly drafted two small forwards in the last two years, with Williams being the latest to threaten for minutes at both forward spots.
Of the four, Williams is the youngest, at 20. Love is the oldest, although he, Beasley and Randolph are all currently 22.
After being buried on the Knicks’ bench, Randolph arrived in Minnesota in the flurry of trade activity last season that saw Carmelo Anthony land in New York. The rest of the season that followed was unexciting and uneventful, as Randolph shared minutes with other bigs like Darko Milicic and Brad Miller. Of the 22-year-old forwards, Randolph quietly sat third on the depth chart, picking up scraps of minutes when they truly didn’t count, despite the fact that just two years ago he was considered one of the most intriguing NBA prospects at his position.
Derrick Williams’ arrival ensures a similar fate of limited playing time, unless Randolph once again is traded to someone else’s bench.
Making waves to overshadow Love in the Minnesota frontcourt – and not just on his Xbox – was Beasley. Though primarily used as a small forward when Love was playing heavy minutes, the first-year Timberwolf put up a number of big games, his ability to score while slashing and attacking the basket serving as a great complement to Love’s tireless ability to rebound and open the floor with his long-range shooting.
As teammates, the two styles mesh perfectly with a young team. On a Nov. 2010 night after his girlfriend gave birth to a baby boy, Beasley dropped 42 against the Kings. Two nights later against the Knicks, while sitting on the bench, Love would lean into Beasley’s ear and whisper“I’m going for 30 tonight.”
Looking at him, Beasley said, “30 what?”
Love was talking about rebounds, and he grabbed 31 of them that night along with 31 points; the NBA’s first 30-30 performance in 28 years. Beasley was none too shabby himself, leading the Wolves in scoring with 35 as they rallied back from a 21-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Knicks 112-103.
Of Beasley, the most backhanded of NBA compliments are true. To his credit, he has shown sustained glimpses of superb talent and few have noticed. Coaches and experts see plenty of unrealized potential in what will be his fifth year in the NBA.
In a season where the Timberwolves are going to have to ship off some of their youth in order to shore up their other three positions on the court, other general managers are likely to gamble on Beasley’s talent at fire sale prices (predictable results given his *cough* public relations downswing).
In the great logjam that is Minnesota’s front court, however, it may not be Beasley who leaves town, but the biggest name. The Los Angeles Lakers have been rumored to be interested in Kevin Love (as just about every NBA team should be) and it’s hard not to imagine Love as a perfect fit in purple and gold. Not to mention the biggest media market on the continent. His uncle was in the Beach Boys, remember, and he’s damn comfortable in front of a camera whether he’s hawking deodorant or playing Jenga. Love has $4.6 million remaining on his current deal and will likely get a big upgrade, regardless of what happens with the CBA.
Minnesota still hasn’t recovered from losing Kevin Garnett, so they’ll not be quick to get rid of their second coming – not without an ample package coming back in return. One of the select few markets to have teams in the four major North American sports, Minneapolis is a giant sports market, despite its small market feel, and the corporate execs seem to like having the very likable Love in town.
All things considered, there will be room for Kevin Love on the roster so long as he wants to be there, but for Beasley, fate is in the air. As cliched as they come, Super Cool Beas is full of potential if he can simply grow up.
In the same GQ blog entry as above, Love is even more glowing of his friend and teammate, as if he and he alone is able to fully understand what motivates his teammate and what exactly a motivated Michael Beasley can bring to the table.
“Coming out of that Miami situation, where they traded him away for so little, it definitely put a chip on his shoulder. It hasn’t been extremely visible, but I can tell it’s there. He wants to prove himself.”
If he’s right, there may be yet one more reason to tune into Timberwolves games whenever NBA action resumes.
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