Beasley selected No. 2 in NBA Draft

MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State freshman forward Michael Beasley was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat at the NBA’s annual draft event on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Beasley was the second of a record three freshmen selected in the NBA Draft, which included Memphis’ Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Bulls and USC’s O.J. Mayo with the No. 3 pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In all, five of the first seven picks were college freshmen.

“I knew anything could happen,” Beasley said of the Draft to a national ESPN audience. “I am just glad it’s over with. The city of Miami is getting a great player, guy who is going to work hard, a good rebounder and just an all-around fun-loving guy. I think every team needs one of those.”

Beasley is the first player to be drafted at Kansas State since Steve Henson went to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 1990 draft, while he is just the eighth player in school history to be selected in the first round. He joins Howard Shannon (No. 1 pick, Providence Steamrollers, 1949), Ernie Barrett (No. 7 pick, Boston Celtics, 1951), Bob Boozer (No. 1 pick, Cincinnati Royals, 1959), Chuckie Williams (No. 15 pick, Cleveland Cavaliers, 1976), Mike Evans (No. 21 pick, Denver Nuggets, 1978), Rolando Blackman (No. 9 pick, Dallas Mavericks, 1981) and Mitch Richmond (No. 5 pick, Golden State Warriors, 1988) as Wildcats to go in the Draft’s first round.

With the No. 2 selection, Beasley is third highest draft pick in school history following Howard Shannon (1949; Providence Steamrollers) and Bob Boozer (1959; Cincinnati Royals), who both were selected with the No. 1 pick in their respective drafts. Kansas State is one of just seven schools (Houston, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue and UCLA) in that nation that has produced more than one No. 1 NBA Draft pick. Beasley joins Mitch Richmond (No. 5 to the Golden State Warriors in 1988) as the school’s only lottery picks (first 14 selections) since the system was implemented in 1985.

Beasley becomes the first Kansas State player to ever play for the Miami Heat. He joins Willie Murrell (ABA’s Miami Floridians; 1968-70) as the only Wildcats to ever play for a Miami professional basketball franchise. He will also play in the hometown of Wildcat head coach Frank Martin.

“I’m ecstatic," said Martin. "I’m ecstatic for Mike. I’m ecstatic for the Heat. Obviously, it’s my hometown. It’s a franchise since Pat Riley’s been there that’s been in regular in the (NBA) playoffs and won a championship just a few short years ago. They went through a troubled year last season, but they have good personnel. They are all about working and competing and that’s what Mike is about. I think it’s a perfect marriage.”

Beasley compiled one of the greatest seasons ever by a college freshman in NCAA history, as he averaged 26.2 points on 53.2 percent shooting (307-of-577), including 37.9 percent from 3-point range, with 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.2 assists in 31.5 minutes per game this season. He posted the second-most rebounds (408) by a freshman in NCAA history, trailing just the record of 462 set by Nevada’s Pete Padgett in 1972-73, while he collected the third-most points (866) by a freshman behind LSU’s Chris Jackson (965; 1988-89) and Texas’ Kevin Durant (903; 2006-07).

Beasley led the nation in six categories, including rebounding, double-doubles (28), 40-point games (three), 30-point games (13), 20-point, 10-rebound games (23) and 30-point, 10-rebound games (13), while he ranked third in scoring. He is just the third freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounding, joining Loyola’s Kenny Miller (1987-88) and Louisiana Tech’s Paul Millsap (2003-04). He also became just the 11^th player in NCAA Division I history to post 28 or more double-doubles in a season and the first since Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan collected 29 during the 1996-97 season.

Beasley earned numerous accolades after the 2007-08 season, including National Player of the Year honors from both CBS Sports.com and Rivals.com and National Freshman of the Year honors from CBS Sports.com, Rivals.com, CollegeHoops.net, The Sporting News and U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). He also was selected a first team All-American by numerous outlets, including The Associated Press, State Farm/National Association of Basketball Coaches, John R. Wooden Award, CBS Sports.com, Dick Vitale, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He was also chosen as a first team Freshman All-American by CBS Sports.com and Rivals.com. In addition, he was named both the Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year by the league coaches, The Associated Press, Kansas City Star and Rivals.com as well as a unanimous all-conference first team selection by nearly every media outlet.

Beasley holds 30 Kansas State career, single-season and freshman records as well as 17 Big 12 single-game and single-season marks. He is both the school’s and conference’s all-time single-season leader in scoring average (26.2 ppg.) and double-doubles (28), while he owns school single-season marks for points (866), rebounds (408), most 30-point games (13), most 20-point games (26), field goals made (307), free throws made (216) and free throws attempted (279).

Beasley and company helped Kansas State post a 21-12 overall record in 2007-08, including a third-place finish in the Big 12 with a 10-6 mark. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 12 years and captured its first NCAA Tournament win since 1988 with their 80-67 victory over USC in the first round of the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Neb., on March 20. The team has now posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in nearly 20 years, while the 10 conference wins tie the 2006-07 squad for the best league record in the Big 12 era. The third-place finish is the best since the inception of the Big 12 and the highest since the 1988-89 team finished third in the Big Eight.

Kansas State’s NBA Draft History

Year Name Pos. Team Rd Pick

1947 Jack Stone F Chicago Stags -- --

1949 Howard Shannon G/F Providence Steamrollers 1 1

1950 Rick Harman F Baltimore Bullets 6 --

1951 Ernie Barrett G Boston Celtics 1 7

Jack Stone F Baltimore Bullets 2 11

Lew Hitch C Minneapolis Lakers 2 20

Ed Head F Minneapolis Lakers 7 70

1952 Jim Iverson G Boston Celtics -- --

1953 Jack Carby F Baltimore Bullets -- --

Bob Rousey G Milwaukee Bucks -- --

Dick Knostman C Syracuse Nationals -- --

1954 Jesse Priscock F New York Knicks 5 40

1955 Jerry Jung C Rochester Royals -- --

1958 Roy DeWitz G/F Detroit Pistons 3 19

Jack Parr F Cincinnati Royals 10 63

1959 Bob Boozer F Cincinnati Royals 1 1

Don Matuszak G Cincinnati Royals 8 56

1960 Wally Frank F Minneapolis Lakers 4 26

1961 Cedrick Price C New York Knicks 8 69

Larry Comley G/F Chicago Packers 10 91

1962 Mike Wroblewski C Cincinnati Royals 5 42

Pat McKenzie F Chicago Packers 15 99

1964 Willie Murrell F St. Louis Bombers 4 33

Roger Suttner C San Francisco Warriors 5 43

1967 Ray Smith C New York Knicks 9 95

Nick Pino C Los Angeles Lakers 11 116

1968 Nick Pino C Los Angeles Lakers 6 73

Earl Seyfert F Philadelphia 76ers 13 170

1969 Gene Williams F New York Knicks 9 95

Steve Honeycutt G Seattle Supersonics 17 203

1970 Jerry Venable F Philadelphia 76ers 6 97

1971 Mike Johnson G Phoenix Suns 9 149

1972 David Hall C Cincinnati Royals 10 148

1973 Steve Mitchell F Phoenix Suns 3 43

Ernie Kusyner G/F Kansas City Kings 10 157

1974 Larry Williams F Milwaukee Bucks 6 108

Lon Kruger G Atlanta Hawks 9 151

1976 Chuckie Williams G Cleveland Cavaliers 1 15

Carl Gerlach C Atlanta Hawks 7 110

1978 Mike Evans G Denver Nuggets 1 21

1981 Rolando Blackman G Dallas Mavericks 1 9

1982 Tyrone Adams G/F Chicago Bulls 3 53

Randy Reed F Cleveland Cavaliers 7 139

Ed Nealy F Kansas City Kings 8 166

1983 Les Craft F Cleveland Cavaliers 3 65

1987 Norris Coleman F Los Angeles Clippers 2 38

1988 Mitch Richmond G/F Golden State Warriors 1 5

1990 Steve Henson G Milwaukee Bucks 2 44

2008 Michael Beasley F Miami Heat 1 2

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Beasley selected No. 2 in NBA Draft

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