Michael Beasley

About Michael Beasley

Michael Beasley (born January 9, 1989, in Frederick, Maryland) is an American basketball player. Beasley stands 6 ft 8.25 in (203.8 cm) in shoes, plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed. He is also ambidextrous. Beasley played basketball for Kansas State University for one year before declaring for the NBA draft on April 14, 2008. It has been widely speculated that he will either be the first overall draft pick or second behind Memphis freshman Derrick Rose. Beasley's parents are Fatima Smith and Michael Beasley Sr. He has two brothers, Leroy and Malik, and two younger sisters, Mychaela and Tiffany.

Rivals.com rated Beasley first in the class of 2007 high school basketball prospects.

Beasley spent his earliest years in St. Louis, Missouri, before moving to Prince George's County, Maryland. While growing up in Maryland, Beasley played for one the country's most successful AAU youth teams at the time, the PG Jaguars. Beasley won multiple national championships with this team alongside future fellow blue-chip recruits Kevin Durant (University of Texas) and Chris Braswell (Georgetown University). Beasley later moved on to play AAU ball for DC Assault's 17 & Under team, playing alongside such players as current KSU teammate Ron Anderson, Amir Khan, Nolan Smith (Duke University), Chris Wright (Georgetown University), Austin Freeman (Georgetown University), and Julian Vaughn (Florida State University). During this time Beasley also attended a number of high schools including Bowie High School (Bowie, Maryland), National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Maryland), The Pendleton School (a section of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida), Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia), and Notre Dame Preparatory School (Fitchburg, Massachusetts).