spycam1
Well-Known Member
ALL ABOARD THE BEASLEY TRAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSFeysnWNO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSFeysnWNO0
Malik Beasley wasn't a 2015 McDonald's All-American and wasn't chosen to the Nike Hoop Summit USA Team. He never played in any FIBA National Team tournaments and ended his senior year ranked as the 36th best high school player in the country by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index.
Now 23 games into his freshman season at Florida State, Beasley has steadily become one of the most productive and efficient freshmen in all of college basketball. Among RSCI 2015 Top 100 recruits, Beasley is third in points per game behind likely No. 1 pick Ben Simmons and potential lottery pick Jamal Murray. Beasley is scoring at an extremely efficient clip, and doing so in the storied Atlantic Coast Conference. He scored 23 points (16 shots) against Louisville, the second-best defense in the country according to KenPom.com. He scored 17 points (10 shots) on defensive juggernaut Virginia, and 20 points (17 shots) on Iowa, the 11th-best defensive team in the country, efficiency-wise.
Beasley has scored 20 points or more nine times this season and has scored in double figures in all of his collegiate games. Needless to say, Beasley has been consistent, efficient, and productive, and NBA scouts are certainly starting to take notice of the freshman from Alpharetta, GA.
Efficient Production
Beasley is scoring at a historically efficient rate uncommon among players his age in the ACC (stats from the DraftExpress Database):
• Since 1992, only two ACC guards have averaged more than 17 points per game while posting a true shooting percentage over 60 percent: Kyrie Irving (11 games played) and Malik Beasley.
• Since 2000, only nine ACC guards under the age of 20 have averaged more 17 points per game. Of those nine, only three shot over 50 percent from 2-point range and 40 percent from 3-point range: Irving, Beasley and Rashad McCants.
• Beasley is the only freshman guard in the country scoring more than 20 points per 40 minutes while shooting over 55 percent from 2-point range and 40 percent from 3-point range.
Strengths
Standing 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Beasley doesn't quite have elite physical tools for an NBA shooting guard but he's an impressive athlete, excellent shooter and aggressive slasher who brings an energetic approach to the floor.
Beasley does a lot of damage in the open court – 26.9 percent of his offense, according to Synergy Sports – by using his speed to sprint to the rim and his explosiveness to catch lobs or hammer home tomahawk dunks. Although not the most polished ball handler, Beasley is more than capable of grabbing a rebound and getting to the front of the rim himself. Florida State plays at the 30th-fastest pace in the NCAA, according to KenPom.com, and Beasley's athleticism is a big reason why.
In the half court, Beasley plays a simple and efficient game, one that's predicated on catch-and-shoot jumpers, one- or two-dribble pull-ups, straight-line drives and movement without the basketball. Beasley has the eighth-best true shooting percentage among 38 guards in the DraftExpress Top 100, a result of not only his shooting stroke and finishing ability, but also his focus on playing within himself.
As a shooter Beasley is very sound mechanically, showing outstanding shot preparation before the catch, tremendous balance, quick elevation as he goes into his motion, and a clean wrist action at the top of his jump that produces a healthy amount of back spin. Beasley can shoot off the hop or after planting one foot after another, an important skill for shooting on the move and under duress.
With defenders having to respect Beasley's catch-and-shoot jumper, which yields 1.175 points per possession, he's able to use his athleticism to attack scrambling defenders to get into a mid-range pull-up, floater or finish at the rim. Beasley displays the same impressive mechanics on his pull-up that he does on his catch-and-shoot jumper, which should help him become more of a versatile scorer as his ball-handling improves.
The final part of Beasley's scoring arsenal comes in the paint, where he employs his explosiveness and aggressive nature to finish at the hoop or get to the line. Beasley also shows flashes of a floater that he's able to mix in when a help-side defender is loading up to take a charge or the rim protector is in perfect position.
Although he's not much of a shot creator at this stage, Beasley's ability to score efficiently is certainly a coveted skill in today's NBA.
Beasley also plays with a motor you don't always see out of 19-year-old freshman with his skill level and athleticism. He's a very good rebounder for his position – 7.1 per 40 minutes with pace adjusted, ranking fifth among DraftExpress' Top 100 guards – and flies around on the defensive end. He moves without the ball offensively and plays an unselfish brand of basketball.
Beasley's overall intangibles are most certainly a positive. Watching him warm up an hour before the game you can see his personality when he's on the floor. The son of actor Michael Beasley and actress Deena Beasley, Malik is very engaged with teammates, yet locked in when it's time to get shots up. Beasley comes from an excellent family, really competes and his development curve speaks to his work ethic. Overall, there's certainly a lot to like about Beasley as an NBA two-guard prospect.
