Still in the wake of news that Malik Beasley is amid a federal investigation into gambling allegations in relation to NBA games and prop betting, the former Detroit Pistons guard has spoken out about his situation.
Beasley, 28, was nearing a multi-year contract with the Pistons after becoming a feature part of the team’s turnaround last season, finishing second in the league in three pointers and runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.
But talks stalled out after the revelation of the probe and Beasley now sits in free agency limbo, having yet to be charged with anything and yet to be signed by a team.
The nine-year NBA veteran took to Snapchat on Wednesday and shared some insights into his offseason, his perspective and what might come next.
“I’ve got this new chip on my shoulder of like (expletive) the world, kind of,” Beasley said. “My back against the wall and no one believes in me, everybody’s saying what they’re saying. I’ve got a new focus…I will be better than last year.”
Beasley confirmed that he had an offer from the Pistons, saying he “would’ve been really happy with that” but “then some things came out and so we had to go in different directions.”
Beasley said he’s been traveling, recently, in Europe and now in Palm Springs, Florida to be with his family.
Throughout that time, he’s posted numerous videos of workouts on Snapchat, including a recent session in the University of Miami’s practice facility.
Beasley emphasized throughout his posts that he’s going to make sure he’s ready for a team to potentially bring him in.
“I gotta be prepared to either come back to the Pistons or there are some other teams interested as well,” Beasley said. “Waiting for some clarity on a lot of things.”
The big question remains whether he’ll even be able to play in the coming season.
The NBA has recently cracked down on player gambling harshly. Last season former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was banned for life by the league after it was found he had “disclosed confidential information about his own health status” to a bettor and placed 13 bets on NBA games using another person’s account.
Teams have likely been wary to commit any money toward Beasley with the prospect he could never even play in the NBA again, if he were to be charged and found guilty of some sort of similar infraction.
A new attitude
Beasley hasn’t specifically commented on anything related to the investigation.
His attorney in the matter, Steve Haney has given comment, saying “this is simply an investigation. At this point, Malik has not been charged with any crime and there has been no formal accusation of wrongdoing. Hopefully everyone will afford him that same presumption of innocence that everyone else deserves.”
Even so, Beasley has taken exception to things that he has seen said about him online.
“People were saying some crazy things in media if you go on Instagram you see the craziest (expletive), people judging me,” Beasley said. “Have I made mistakes in my life? Yes. Am I proud of those mistakes? No. I’m human but I know what I know.”
As Beasley will wait on either results of the investigation or the attention of an NBA team, he’s reiterating a focus on upping his game with a desire to validate himself as worthy of a spot in the league.
“Summer continues. Until something else is done, I just gotta stay positive, stay low key, stay grinding,” Beasley said. “Tell you one thing, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, I’m ready to destroy anyone in front of me.”
“I’m ready to prove again that I belong in this league. For those who know me, I work too hard, I work every day, I put basketball before anything.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.