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FSU Alums: Malik Beasley has been on fire since trade to Minnesota

By Kelvin Hunt

DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 11: Malik Beasley #25 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a three point shot against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center on February 11, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 11: Malik Beasley #25 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a three point shot against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center on February 11, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Former FSU basketball standout Malik Beasley is a player often forgotten about in helping Leonard Hamilton get this program to where it is now.

Malik Beasley was with FSU basketball for one year, starting all 34 of the games in a season that ended in the second round of the NIT.

He declared for the NBA Draft, being selected in the first round with the No. 19 overall pick by the Denver Nuggets. He was the first FSU basketball player selected in the first round since Chis Singleton in 2011.

The following season saw the Noles make the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed and the program has been rolling ever since.

is a player Leonard Hamilton could use as an example to recruits that eventually signed with the program, and helped get it to where it is now.

Florida State Seminoles Basketball
Florida State Seminoles Basketball /

Florida State Seminoles Basketball

He’s one of the reasons FSU was able to get  the likes of Jonathan Isaac, Dwayne Bacon and Trent Forrest. The two former players were both drafted by NBA teams and Forrest is arguably the most important player on FSU’s team this season along with Devin Vassell.

All of those players have been vital to the program, along with the emergence of Terrance Mann and Mfionde Kabengele, both of who were drafted by the LA Clippers.

Beasley’s career was up and down in Denver, playing mostly a reserve role averaging 14.6 minutes per game over four seasons. However, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves early this month, and his production has skyrocketed.

The Timberwolves are one of the worst teams in the NBA and are only (2-5) since he joined the team. However, he’s averaging 33.4 minutes per game and career highs in almost every statistical category in seven games since the trade.

He’s averaging 21.7 points per game, six rebounds, 2.4 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and making 41.8 percent of his three-point shots.

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Beasley is also making 73.7 percent of his free throw attempts. It’s pretty cool to see Beasley catch fire in the NBA at the same time FSU is in sole possession of first place in the ACC conference.

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