MANHATTAN, Kansas, June 26, 2008 – 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 while teammate Bill Walker was selected with the No. 47 pick in the second round by the Washington Wizards Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Walker was traded by the Wizards to the world champion Boston Celtics for cash considerations.
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 and Walker are the first Wildcat teammates to chosen in the same NBA Draft since 1982 when three players – Tyrone Adams (3rd round), Randy Reed (7th round) and Ed Nealy (8th round) – were drafted. It marks the 15th time in school history (1951, 1953, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1982 and 2008) that two players have been taken in the same draft.
A native of Huntington, W.Va., Walker is the fifth player in school history to be taken in the second round of the NBA Draft, joining Jack Stone (11th pick, Baltimore Bullets, 1951), Lew Hitch (20th pick, Minneapolis Lakers, 1951), Norris Coleman (38th pick, L.A. Clippers, 1987) and Steve Henson (44th pick, Milwaukee Bucks, 1990).
Walker averaged 16.1 points on 46.5 percent shooting (181-of-389), including 30.7 percent (35-of-114) from 3-point range, with 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game this season. He ranked second to Beasley in nearly every statistical category, including scoring, double-digit scoring (25), 20-point games (nine), double-doubles (four), rebounding, blocks, field goals, free throws (101) and free throw percentage (73.7). His averages were even higher in Big 12 play, where he averaged 16.6 points on 47.2 percent shooting with 6.1 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game.
Walker earned numerous accolades after the season, including third team freshman All-America distinction from CBS Sports.com and CollegeHoops.net and freshman All-America honors by CollegeInsider.com. He was named to the All-Big 12 second team by the Kansas City Star, while he was a third team selection by both the league coaches and The Associated Press. He was also selected to several all-district squads, including the U.S Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District VI team and to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 12 second team.
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 11th 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 Walker 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.
