Malik Beasley will be a one and done prospect, but he isn’t quite on the national radar like some of the other super freshman that will be selected in the first round. Some of that is likely due to his ranking coming into his freshman season. He was 28th in the 2015 ESPN 100 basketball rankings and came into Florida State as the second best player in a heralded recruiting class.
Dwayne Bacon was the top dog of that class. Bacon came in as the 14th player in the ESPN 100 and somewhat overshadowed Beasley, especially at the beginning of the season. But when Bacon failed to flash, Beasley rose up and stole his shine. Bacon ended up not declaring for the NBA Draft while Beasley will probably end up in the first round.
Beasley also hasn’t gotten much national attention because he played for Florida State, a mostly irrelevant team this past season. FSU went 20-14, losing in the second round of both the ACC Tournament and NIT Tournament. There weren’t many primetime matchups for Beasley to showcase his abilities and by missing the NCAA Tournament, he missed yet another opportunity to introduce himself to a national audience.
Take all those variables into consideration and you get a prospect in Malik Beasley who has very little name recognition to much of the public and even to many in the basketball cognoscenti. So let’s introduce you to Mr. Beasley and tell you why he is worthy of a first round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Malik Beasley is a good to great shooter
Beasley is a 6-5 shooting guard from Atlanta, Georgia, and he can really shoot the ball. He made 38.7 percent of his threes in his freshman season at Florida State, excelling especially at the top of the key and on the wings.
Per Shot Analytics, Beasley made 42 percent of his threes from the top of the key. Here’s a look at the full chart.
That’s a quality shot chart for any wing, let alone a freshman playing against tough ACC opponents. He is smart with his shot selection and is really efficient from all over the floor, especially from three.
When you take a look at the film of Beasley, what stands out immediately is his shooting form as it’s technically sound. It reminds me a little bit of Klay Thompson’s shooting form. He does a really good job of squaring his shoulders and setting his feet before shooting. Also, I like how he finishes his shot and how he lands after shooting; meaning he’s almost always on balance. This is important because shooting form is a skill that easily translates to the NBA level.
There’s one important thing to note about Beasley though, which is that he’s not just a shooter.
Beasley is also a really incredible athlete. He had some impressive dunks on fast breaks for the Seminoles showcasing good athleticism and speed for his size and build.
Take another look at that shot chart above. Beasley stands out from a lot of other shooters in this draft because of how he finishes at the rim. Beasley made 66 percent of his attempts at the rim last season, per Shot Analytics. That’s a good mark for a big man and a great sign for a guard’s finishing ability.
Put Beasley’s athleticism together with his proficiency for finishing at the rim and whoever drafts Beasley will be getting more than just a shooter.
Whether they will be getting a passer too remains to be seen. Beasley didn’t turn the ball over much last year, but he didn’t dish out many assists, either. Beasley had 51 total assists and 59 total turnovers. Some of those turnovers were obvious freshman growing pains, and Beasley at times showed flashes of making NBA-level point guard reads, but just failed to execute.
At this point in time, Beasley isn’t a primary ball handler or someone who can operate in a lot of pick and roll situations. However he can keep the offensive engine chugging along if the ball is swung his way and can create for his teammates while attacking. Beasley has a lot of room for growth in this area of his game, which is both a good thing and a scary thing.
He was a good defender and a gambler in college
Beasley averaged just under one steal a game in his freshman season at Florida State and some of those steals came off of successful gambles that created fast break points on dunks. Others gambles, however, resulted in defensive breakdowns and easy buckets for the other team.
Beasley was a good defender in college and he has the skills to be a good defender in the NBA, but he needs to have the right coaches around him to light that defensive fire. Beasley will have to learn a lot of the intricacies of an NBA defense, but also just a lot of the basics, like not to abandon his man to jump in a distant passing lane.
He’s got the motor to stick with guards as they run through the maze of screens in a modern NBA half court set.
He, like just about every prospect, will also have to add some strength and muscle in the weight room to adjust to NBA life. If Beasley enters the league as a one and done, he will be miles behind some of his teammates and peers physically. This will manifest itself on the defensive end a lot at first and on offensive drives if Beasley can’t get any traction in the paint.
However, with time, some strength training and in the right system, I really believe Beasley can be an average to good defender.
Why I would spend a pick on Beasley
The key here with Beasley is that the team that drafts him will be getting a knock down shooter (38.7 percent) but also an excellent athlete and good finisher at the rim. One dimensional shooters don’t work in the NBA anymore. You have to be able to knock down an open jumper but also do something when the defense chases you off the line. Beasley can do more than just shoot, and that’s key.
There are real concerns about his size for a two-guard and just in general how young he is. Beasley is still a kid, and the team that drafts him understands that risk. But I think Beasley is an upside pick that a team in the back half of the first round should take a shot on.