Today's Kansas City Star featured an article on Kansas State basketball recruit Michael Beasley. Beasley is ranked as the #1 Forward in the class of 2007 by Scout.com, and is expected to turn pro the second he becomes eligible for the pro draft after one year at Kansas State. The article can be found here. http://www.kansascity.com/165/story/71036.html
There are a few quotes from the article that really call into question Beasley's character and make me wonder about him. Here are a few I found disturbing.
Media reports have described Beasley as petulant and pugnacious, funny and easygoing, both overly polite and extremely self-centered. At his last high school, Beasley was known for throwing sticks at teachers’ houses, wearing pajamas to the school cafeteria and continuously signing his name on school property, including desks, water fountains and the principal’s truck, according to an article in The Washington Post last month.
He finds himself in the room of a 7-month-old girl. There’s another awkward silence. The girl’s mother, not knowing who the players are, asks: “You guys in high school?”Beasley grabs his cell phone and pulls up a calendar. He smiles and looks at the woman.
“For one month (more). Exactly,” he said. “Then I’m done with school forever.”
“You going to college?” she asks.
“Yeah, but I’m going to drop out,” he answers, and everyone laughs knowingly.
The entire article paints Beasley as a self-involved, arrogant individual only interested in making money and proving his superiority to everyone around him. How did Beasley become this way? Do you think this is simply a product of the egos that go along with being a star athlete, or is there something else causing this behavior? Do you think this a reflection on the culture of our youth, or is Beasley simply an anomaly?
Comments (5)
I hope he busts hard and never amounts to anything just like Michael Olowokandi. This kid is portrayed exactly as he should be and I can only imagine the type of fun and hijinx him and the rest of the rugrats at KSU can conjure up next year, besides yet again failing at acomplishing anything basketball wise.
Posted by Ryan Knuth | April 16, 2007 4:33 PM
Posted on April 16, 2007 16:33
I feel that so many athletes feel they can control whatever they please. I think that some athletes feel they are in a different category from everyone else. His actions do not necessarily deal with his ego but just his need for attention. People that act out no matter their talents will not get as far as those who act in a respectable matter.
Posted by Jessica Dold | April 17, 2007 4:09 PM
Posted on April 17, 2007 16:09
I agree that Beasley is a product of his ego and the egos that are embedded within many star athletes, but I also think that the egos that come with stardom have a great deal to do with the hype they receive from media and scouts as a result of their skill. When Beasley learned that he was the #1 forward in the nation I can only imagine that his first thoughts were the NBA and the end of the road for his career in education. I believe it is tasteless and immature that he said the things he did though. He obviously does not care how he is perceived by the public eye if he is already making such statements.
Posted by Brian Gronniger | April 17, 2007 8:07 PM
Posted on April 17, 2007 20:07
Beasley sounds like a jerk. Millions of kids all over the country would kill to play college basketball, and he's acting like it's a pain in the ass. Yes, you're really good at basketball. Big freaking deal. Is that supposed to make him God or something? He is good at throwing a ball through a hoop. Last time I looked in the dictionary, that doesn't make him Jesus. He's a self centered jerk who definitely needs to be brought down to earth and put in his place. I can't say that I wouldn't be just as cocky as he is if I were in his shoes, but I probably wouldn't fit in his shoes. I bet they're too big. I guess that's the privilege of being the guy who actually has to go to college. I can sit here and bitch about people like him on a blog.
Posted by Jay Howell | April 18, 2007 1:37 PM
Posted on April 18, 2007 13:37
Like everyone else said, what an ass! So what if he's a great athlete, is anyone really going to want to look up to or cheer for a guy who doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself? I wouldn't! I personally, though, don't think it was too nice of the reporter to frame him in such an egotistical way. I mean, there has to be some good in the guy, right? The article could have held back some of the jerkish comments he made. This is a lot of peoples first look at Beasley, the first big look at him anyway, and for this to be his first impression is too bad. But, what do I know, maybe this is all he is?
Posted by Amanda Helm | April 20, 2007 1:18 PM
Posted on April 20, 2007 13:18