Posted: July 20, 2012
The Phoenix Suns signed unrestricted free agent and former No. 2 overall draft pick Michael Beasley to a multi-year contract, the club has announced during a press conference at US Airways Center on Friday.
Beasley, a versatile 6-10, 230-pound forward, is a four-year NBA veteran who was originally selected with the second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. A 23-year-old former NBA First Team All-Rookie choice, Beasley owns career averages of 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 27.9 minutes in 279 career games (177 starts) with the Heat (2008-10) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2010-12). Beasley joins the Suns after two seasons in Minneapolis, where in 2010-11 he averaged a career-high 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
A threat to score from anywhere on the floor, Beasley is a career 45.5 percent shooter, who also has shot 35.5 percent from three-point range. In fact, he has set career highs in each of the last two seasons in three-point percentage, and has shot a combined 98-of-265 (.370) from beyond the arc since 2010. His career year in 2010-11 saw him make a career-best 60 three-pointers while still staying aggressive enough to earn a career-best 291 trips to the free-throw line.
The native of Seat Pleasant, Md., is a dynamic scorer who owns 10 career 30-point games, nine of which have come in the last two seasons, more than any player on the current Suns roster. That includes a career-high 42-point performance against Sacramento on Nov. 10, 2010. Beasley joins the Suns with career averages of 17.4 points and 6.1 rebounds against the Pacific Division, both his best numbers against any NBA division. Not afraid to take the big shot, Beasley hit the game-winner on Dec. 26, 2010 at Cleveland (:05.9 seconds remaining) and also on Nov. 17, 2010 against the LA Clippers (:02.3).
An immediate impact player in the NBA, Beasley teamed with Dwyane Wade to lead the Heat to postseason appearances in each of his first two NBA seasons. He owns career playoff averages of 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in 12 games (five starts).
An early entry draft candidate in 2008, Beasley played one decorated collegiate season at Kansas State during which he averaged 26.2 points, third-most in the nation, and an NCAA-best 12.4 rebounds while setting single-season school records in points (866), scoring average and rebounds (408), among others. He was a unanimous Associated Press First Team All-American, Sporting News National Freshman of the Year, and Big 12 Player of the Year, and led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1988.