Michael Beasley
Athlete
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
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Bio:
Michael Beasley was born in Fredrick, Maryland, on January 9, 1989, growing up in what was about to become an unparalleled hotbed of hoops. One of five children, he grew up big and fast, with a penchant for jokes. By the time he was eleven, it was also clear that he was a basketball prodigy. He drew the interest of an AAU team –- the PG Jaguars -– and despite a terrible tryout, was invited to join the team. One of his teammates and childhood friends was two-time NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant, who recalled young Mike’s talents with hints of awe. “He was 12 years old, and all he was doing was tipping the ball to himself,” said Durant. “He was almost dunking. His hands were so big. He was getting rebounds, and his hands were at the rim laying it in.” Durant’s mother, Wanda Pratt, recalled Michael’s other defining quality: his sense of humor. “He was fun-loving,” she remembered. “He liked to have a good time. He was always well-mannered.”
Paired with Durant, Mike and the PG Jaguars went on to win multiple national AAU championships. It was only the beginning. Mike subsequently joined another AAU team, the DC Assault, and playing with future college stars Nolan Smith, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman, went on to further success. At the end of his senior season in high school, Michael was named to the 2007 McDonald’s All-American team. He had already drawn the interest of college coaches across the nation. In the McDonald’s game, he made his mark, logging 23 points, 12 rebounds and the game’s Most Valuable Player award. And just like that, B-Easy was the nation’s best high school basketball prospect, ranked No. 1 in the nation by Rivals.com. READ MORE…
