Why Michael Beasley Will Never Become a Superstar

Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley has spent the weekend with family members and advisers, coming to a decision on whether to turn pro. At a news conference Monday, the 6-foot-10 Beasley is expected to announce he is entering the 2008 NBA Draft. Most likely, Beasley will be taken with the first pick; at the very least, he will go second.

There is no doubting his NBA potential. He has a lethal combination of quickness and strength, making for a difficult guard. Beasley had the second-most rebounds and third-most points of any freshman in NCAA history that past season. Beasley is a lock for superstardom, it seems to most.

However, Michael Beasley will never reach his potential or become a great NBA player. Like Vince Carter, he will be stuck in very good. Here are three reasons.

1. Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are good offensively, but what places them among the best power forwards ever is their defense. Beasley is a one-dimensional, offensive player. (Admittedly, he is very good with that dimension.) To be mentioned among the league's elite, Beasley will have to improve on the defensive side of the ball. On the rare occasions that he puts some effort in defensively, he looks to be doing his best Drew Gooden impersonation. Too often, Beasley finds himself lost, out of position and gambling for steals.
2. What separates a very good player, like Vince Carter, from an all-time great player, like Michael Jordan, is work ethic. In high school, Beasley stopped lifting weights because he worried about catching a cold in the school gym, which he said was poorly heated. Can you imagine a high school-aged Michael Jordan using that excuse? Work ethic can be improved, but the chances of Beasley's going from poor to anything more than average are slim.
3. Does Beasley have a winner's mentality? Watching Beasley at Kansas State, the answer was typically no. The best example might be the Wisconsin game. He was focused and played well to start the game. Then, in the second half, Beasley began to lose his poise and almost seemed disinterested. He forced too many plays, either driving into waiting defenders or settling for low-percentage shots. Unlike many of the basketball's best, who look to make their teammates better when they are struggling, Beasley was helpless. He as much to work on if he hopes, ultimately, to develop into a winner.
   

Some say Beasley is too small to play power forward and that is what will limit him in the NBA. However, you probably noticed the three factors I listed as to why Michael Beasley will never reach his potential are all controlled by Michael Beasley himself. All three are tied into one major, overriding factor: his attitude.

Michael Beasley with a good attitude is a very good defender. Michael Beasley with a good attitude works harder to develop his game. Michael Beasley with a good attitude leads a team.

Right now and until he shows otherwise, Michael Beasley doesn't have a good attitude.

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Greece a Possibility for Koufos

Ohio State center Kosta Koufos is thinking about a key decision in his basketball career. He has two logical choices: Koufos can either stay in college or enter the NBA Draft.

That being said, a return to college seems logical. Heading into the year, Koufos was considered a top-five pick. Koufos averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks and was named the NIT's Most Outstanding Player. Overall, a solid year for a freshman center, but he was not as good as expected. Another year at Ohio State would help his draft stock.

Or so it would seem. According to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony, the arrival of fellow seven footer B.J. Mullens could hurt Koufos. Givony said, ''They can't really play together, especially under Thad's system; he values defense so heavily. It's going to be a little bit difficult for (Koufos) playing with B.J. Mullens. B.J.'s a highly touted guy, and you'd think he would be one and done himself.''

Looking at the NBA Draft, Koufos has to like his chances since height always seems to rise on draft day. As a legitimately-skilled seven footer, teams will be interested. But Koufos is hardly ready for the NBA: he isn't much of a defender, rebounder, or physical presence. If he entered the draft, he would likely be drafted in the bottom half of the first round.

Where does all of this leave Koufos? According to his mom, Kathy Koufos, playing basketball in Greece is a possibility. He is a citizen of Greece and played for the Greek national team. When he decided to attend Ohio State, Koufos turned down contract offers to play professionally in Greece, some reports said.

Playing in Greece would benefit Kosta Koufos in several ways.

1. Koufos would make a good chunk of money.
   
2. He would continue his development before entering the NBA.
3. The European playing style better suits his game, allowing Koufos to make a bigger impact on the court.
4. Koufos would receive more playing time than he would if he went to the NBA immediately.
   
5. Connect with his heritage, I guess?

Of course, there are downsides to Greece in comparison to the NBA or college.

1. He can still develop while being paid by an NBA team.
   
2. What if he goes to Greece and his deficiencies are unmasked against the competition?
3. Nothing can improve a player's draft stock more than a good NCAA Tournament run. That possibility would be gone.
4. Koufos would appear to be crazy to chose Greece over the NCAA and the NBA.
   

Most likely, his mom just threw the idea out there and there is little likelihood of Koufos actually leaving for Greece. In which case, this was all for naught.

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Arizona Guard Jerryd Bayless Enters NBA Draft

Another day, another prospect. Arizona Wildcats guard Jerryd Bayless will enter the NBA Draft after his freshman season. Athletic department spokesman Tom Duddleston confirmed Bayless' decision Saturday.

Heading into college, Bayless was a McDonald's All-American and Rivals.com's second-ranked shooting guard. At Arizona, Bayless lived up to the lofty expectations, averaging a team-high 19.7 points to go along with 4.0 assists. The Wildcats--behind Bayless, but without coach Lute Olson--posted an 18-13 record before losing to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Bayless is projected as a top-five selection by both DraftExpress (#3 overall) and NBADraft.net (#4 overall). Offensively, Bayless has everything NBA teams look for in a scoring guard: he is an outstanding shooter and a devastating slasher. Defensively, he shows a lot of potential due to his quickness and commitment on both ends of the floor. One of his biggest strengths is his "winner's mentality," a trait which has earned him comparisons to Gilbert Arenas. Like Arenas, Bayless is a combo guard at 6-foot-3 and will need to improve his point guard skills in the NBA.

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N.C. State's J.J. Hickson Enters NBA Draft

For some unfortunate teams, their college basketball season is over. With the season's end comes a rush of underclassmen entering the NBA Draft. The rush appears to have started.

N.C. State freshman J.J. Hickson announced that he will enter the NBA Draft. Hickson will not sign with an agent, leaving the possibility for a return to college. Hickson, a 6-foot-9, 242-pound power forward, was the Wolfpack's leading scorer (averaging 14.8 points) and rebounder (averaging 8.5 rebounds). His play earned him an all-ACC freshman team nomination.

According to coach Sidney Lowe, Hickson will "get all the information he can and decide what's the best thing." Whether Hickson returns to school will "depend on where he's going in the draft."

Hickson, a former McDonald's High School All-American, is currently projected as the last pick in the first round by NBADraft.net. Early in the season, Hickson was expected to be a top-ten selection, but his stock fell as the season progressed. DraftExpress expects Hickson to be drafted in the first round, though teams will need to be patient developing him:

[Entering the draft] would probably be a mistake if that’s indeed the case, as he does not look anywhere near ready to see minutes on an NBA team (defensively, or operating as a true power forward should facing the basket), and would greatly benefit from expanding his game through another season in college. His talent will still likely be too great for most teams to pass up on in the first round--even if he’ll have to spend time in the D-League polishing his all-around game--and therefore he’d likely get drafted somewhere in the bottom half of the first round barring bad workouts or off the court red flags that pop up during the draft process.

If Hickson is to reach is potential, he will need to further develop his offensive game, both in the post and on the perimeter. Despite his above average strength and athleticism, Hickson's defense is average at best.

There is plenty Hickson can work on. Whether it happens at N.C. State or in the NBA, that will remain to be seen.

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