Talented player but with a tortuous career, Michael Beasley has become a strong advocate for player mental health issues for some time, no doubt because he was concerned with these issues during his years in the NBA.
The former Miami player wants athletes to become aware of this topic early on, and not just when they are hit with anxiety, depression or panic attacks.
“Mental health doesn’t start when things aren’t going well, it’s not a bad thing,” does he assure Fox News Digital. “You can work on yourself from the start. I want to share my story so that players who come after me don’t have to face this so late. If I had known that from day one, it would have been different. I want to be vulnerable for the next player. »
“Nothing was planned at the university level”
The second choice of the 2008 Draft even makes it a sector to work on like shooting or defense, which was not the case in his time. What he regrets.
“Basketball players are known to be powerful, fast. They lift weights, take millions of shots, but nothing is set up for the mind. It’s as important as shooting or strength training. Nothing was planned at the university level for that while mental health, especially in the black community, is a taboo. We are taught to be strong. Same thing in the NBA. I put everything in the bag of anger, and there was no one to talk to about it. Until recently, you had to hide your feelings or deal with them. »
Michael Beasley helped by the speeches of two All-Stars
If things have changed for some time, it is mainly thanks to Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan. Both stars brought the issues they faced into the public eye and it served as a general wake-up call.
“They helped a lot, that’s 100% sure. They are two All-Stars, who have reached heights that no one can imagine. Seeing such good, strong players saying that, saying that it’s not right, sends a powerful message. They wanted to show the rest of the world, not just the players, that it was okay to say it, to cry, to be vulnerable. »
| Michael Beasley | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2008-09 | MIA | 81 | 25 | 47.2 | 40.7 | 77.2 | 1.4 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 13.9 |
| 2009-10 | MIA | 78 | 30 | 45.0 | 27.5 | 80.0 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 6.4 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 14.8 |
| 2010-11 | MIN | 73 | 32 | 45.0 | 36.6 | 75.3 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 5.6 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 19.2 |
| 2011-12 | MIN | 47 | 23 | 44.5 | 37.6 | 64.2 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 11.5 |
| 2012-13 | PHX | 75 | 21 | 40.5 | 31.3 | 74.6 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 10.1 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 55 | 15 | 49.9 | 38.9 | 77.2 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 7.9 |
| 2014-15 | MIA | 24 | 21 | 43.4 | 23.5 | 76.9 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 8.8 |
| 2015-16 | HOO | 20 | 18 | 52.2 | 33.3 | 77.6 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 12.8 |
| 2016-17 | MIL | 56 | 17 | 53.2 | 41.9 | 74.3 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 9.4 |
| 2017-18 | NYK | 74 | 22 | 50.7 | 39.5 | 78.0 | 1.3 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 13.2 |
| 2018-19 | ALL | 26 | 11 | 49.0 | 17.6 | 71.8 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 7.0 |
| Total | 609 | 23 | 46.5 | 34.9 | 75.9 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 12.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
