BY: AUSTEN TEALER
2012 – Selected 3rd overall in the NBA Draft // The Washington Wizards drafted Bradley Beal with the 3rd overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. As a rookie, Beal hit the ground running, averaging 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during a promising debut season in which he was twice named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. Beal finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
2014 – Beal’s 1st Playoff Series // Beal got his first taste of postseason basketball in 2014 when the five-seed Wizards upset the four-seed Bulls in their first-round series. Beal starred in Games 2 and 3, scoring 26 and 25 points, respectively, while shooting over 50 percent from 3-point range. His offensive output over the course of the series played a significant role in the Wizards’ triumph over the favored Bulls.
2017 – Beal’s 1st 50-point game // On December 5, 2017, Beal scored a then career-high 51 points in a 106-92 win over the Portland Trailblazers, outpacing the Blazers backcourt by himself, with his 51points surpassing the combined efforts of Blazers’ guards Damien Lillard (30) and C.J. McCollum (14). Beal earned his 51 points the hard way, with only eight of his 21 made field goals coming off assists from teammates. Additionally, Beal became the first player since Chris Webber in 2001 to score 50 points without making at least six threes or five free throws and was the first guard to do so since Michael Jordan in 1988.
2017 – Beal’s breakout playoff series vs. Boston // Beal took his game to a new level during the Wizards’ 2017 playoff run. His offense propelled the four-seed Wizards’ upset attempt in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the top-seeded Boston Celtics, with Beal leading the team in scoring in four of the seven games. In Game 7, Beal scored a game-high 38 points in a 115-105 loss to Boston, setting new playoff career highs in points and 3-pointers made.
2018 – Beal’s 1st All-Star Game // While Beal’s scoring ability was never in question, Beal rounded out his game during the 2017-18 season, averaging then-career-highs in rebounds and assists to accompany his 22.6 points per game. Beal’s development helped him become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 700 made 3-pointers made. His outstanding play was acknowledged by coaches around the league who nominated him to take part in his first NBA All-Star Game. Beal scored 14 points on 50 percent shooting in the All-Star showcase, helping Team Lebron to a 148-145 victory over Team Stephen.
2018 – Beal sets franchise 3-point record // With a fourth quarter 3-pointer in an October matchup with the Raptors, Beal broke the Wizards’ franchise record for three-pointers made in a career, surpassing Gilbert Arenas (868). Beal scored 32 points on the night, making six of his 11 3-point attempts.
2019 – Beal wins the NBA Cares Community Assist Award // At the end of the 2018-19 season, Beal was awarded the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his commitment to mentoring students and athletes at Ron Brown College Preparatory High School in Washington D.C. Beal presented RBHS basketball players and coaches with new shoes, took students on a private tour of the National African-American History and Culture Museum and hosted a mentoring session followed by a bowling party to celebrate the end of the school year. In addition to the unique relationship he formed with RBHS, Beal donated game tickets to various community groups and provided toys to the Salvation Army to help spread cheer throughout the D.C. community during the holiday season.
2020 Beal records back-to-back 50-point games // On February 23, 2020, Beal erupted for what was then a career-high 53 points in a matchup with the Bulls. Just one night later, Beal surpassed his 53-point outburst with a 55-point performance in an overtime game against Bucks. In doing so, Beal became the first NBA player to score 50-plus points on consecutive nights since Kobe Bryant in 2007. He is also just the sixth NBA player to ever achieve such a feat, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bernard King, Michael Jordan and Bryant. These performances rounded out one of the most impressive months of Beal’s career in which he led the league in scoring, averaging 36.2 points per game.
2020 – Beal continues his relationship with Ron Brown College Preparatory High School // Beal continued his relationship with RBHS into the next season, donating over 100 tickets for the Wizards season opener. Beal also hosted a holiday dinner in which he and his wife Kamiah handed out gift bags and iPads to 20 top-performing RBHS students and athletes. More importantly, Beal used the $25,000 charitable donation afforded to him for winning the Community Assist Award to sponsor buses taking RBHS students on college tours and provided $3,000 scholarships for four RBHS students attending HBCU’s the following year.
2019-2021 – Beal averages 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons // Beal improved on his All-Star season in 2019-20, averaging 30.5 points per game during a campaign in which he passed Jeff Malone for second place on the Wizards’ all-time scoring list. Beal made yet another jump the following season in which he averaged 31.3 points per game. In doing so, Beal became just the sixth player since the NBA-ABA merger to average 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons, joining NBA legends Adrian Dantley, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and James Harden.
2021 – Beal scores career-high 60 vs. Sixers // Beal made Wizards history after exploding for a career-high 60 points in a 141-136 loss to the 76ers on January 6, 2021. Beal was unstoppable, making 20-of-35 field goals, 7 of 10 three pointers and 13 of his 15 free throw attempts. Scoring 32 points in the first half alone, Beal joined former Wizard guards Michael Jordan (34) and Gilbert Arenas (33) as the only Wizards players to score 30 points in a half since the turn of the century. The 60-point performance catapulted Beal to the top of the Wizards scoring charts, matching Arenas’ single game franchise scoring record.
2020-2021 – Beal scores 25+ in first 17 games of the season // Beal started the 2020-21 season on a historic hot streak, notching 17-consecutive games with 25-plus points to start the season. Beal’s 17-game streak broke Michael Jordan’s previous mark of consecutive games with 25 or more points to start a season.
2021 – Beal earns first All-NBA nod // Beal finished second in the NBA in scoring at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, averaging a career-high 31.3 points per game, the sixth-highest scoring average in the last 10 years and the second highest in franchise history. He also posted career highs in field goal percentage (.485) and free-throw percentage (.889) during the season. Beal finished the season with a career-high 34 games of 30-plus points (which ranked third in the league) and eight games with at least 40+ points (which ranked second). These accomplishments earned Beal a place on the All-NBA Third Team. Beal became just the fifth player in Wizards history to earn All-NBA Third Team honors and 14th player overall to earn All-NBA accolades.