Former Kansas State men’s basketball star Michael Beasley was back in Manhattan for the Sunflower Showdown as the Wildcats took down rival No. 16 Kansas 81-73 last Saturday.
The following day, Beasley was arrested at the Manhattan Regional Airport for possession of marijuana. He was released on a $750 bond.
Following the arrest, Beasley released a statement on Instagram.
“Though it’s still fresh, I’m focused on learning and making better decisions,” he said.
Beasley went on to thank the K-State staff and fans for their unwavering support of him. A No. 2 overall pick in 2008, he was out and about, meeting a lot of the fans and signing autographs at Rockin K’s before the game.
“Everyone is treating me like I’m a cool guy. I didn’t realize I would get this much respect as a former player,” Beasley told the Wichita Eagle.
On Saturday, Beasley joined a collection of former Wildcats, sitting courtside with former Big 12 champion guard Barry Brown.
“This program belongs to the Michael Beasley’s, Barry Brown’s and Kamau Stokes’, and all of those guys,” K-State head coach Jerome Tang said after the win. “I hope they feel this place is home, and that they’re welcome here all the time. I didn’t like coaching against them, but I love the fact that they’re part of the family and that I’m a part of this family now.”
Beasley’s appearance in Manhattan brought back a lot of memories for K-State fans who watched him play as a one-year star at K-State.
He was the Big 12 player of the year and was also named a consensus first-team All-American. Even more impressively, Beasley led the nation in rebounds as a freshman, speaking to his impressive size and strength at a young age.
Still, he didn’t want his return to overshadow the showdown.
“I wanted to come back and show some support,” Beasley said on the 3MAW podcast. “I didn’t want to make it a big thing; it’s a big game and I want them to win.”
Beasley grew up in Washington D.C. and was named by Rivals as the No.1 high school prospect in the nation. He was named a McDonald’s All-American and won MVP in the All-American game.
Former K-State assistant coach Dalonte Hill was a big reason why Beasley came to K-State. Hill coached Beasley’s AAU team and Mike wanted to come play under him in college.
“I’ll admit, I never heard of it [K-State], it was a whole new experience for me being from the city to now seeing cows,” Beasley said. “Dalonte Hill really gets the credit.”
Beasley spent just one season with the ‘Cats before entering the NBA draft as a 19-year-old freshman. He averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game as a Wildcat. In four of his first five games, he scored 30 points. He also reached double figures in every game except one that season.
Beasley’s career high in points came against Baylor when he scored 44. Other dominant scoring outputs from the freshman phenomenon were 40 points against Missouri and 39 points in Allen Fieldhouse against the Jayhawks.
Beasley recalled a lot of great memories, but his favorite is when his Wildcats took down KU in Bramlage for the first time in 24 years.
“I never experienced anything like that up until that point,” Beasley said. “Beating KU at home was one memory I wish I cherished more here.”
Beasley always played with a swagger and unmatched confidence, thinking no matter what he was the best player on the court and his team was going to win.
One of Beasley’s most famous quotes in college was when he said, “We’re going to beat Kansas at home. We’re going to beat them at their house. We’re going to beat them in Africa. Wherever we play, we’re going to beat them.”
Beasley’s spectacular year left him with an easy decision of entering the NBA draft at the end of the year. His size and scoring ability with a smooth 3-point shot made him the second pick in the draft to the Miami Heat.
On the podcast, Beasley said if he could go back, he would stay in the Little Apple for three more years. He credited going to the NBA quickly with helping out his family with money, providing stability as soon as possible.
With the Heat, Beasley was never able to get the same scoring ability we saw him play with in college. After two seasons he was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he put up his best NBA season, scoring 19.5 points per contest.
After an NBA and overseas pro career of 14 years, Beasley now plays in IceCube’s Big3 league on the 3’s Company team in the three-on-three league. This past season, he was named the league’s MVP.
For fans of Beasley who want to watch him play, the reigning Big3 League MVP will return to action this summer.
“Returning to Manhattan felt like coming home,” Beasley said on Instagram. “And that win over KU truly showcased the heart and resilience of our community.”
