Beasley on 'last chance': 'Still the same guy, but it's desperation for me'

Michael Beasley still looks like the same player on the court. 

He still looks like the same affable, fun-loving guy off of it.

But the 26-year-old version of Supercool Beas - the one who's back in the league after a season spent in China on his third stint with the Miami Heat and what amounts to his fifth chance in the NBA - has a different mentality. He's aware of his situation as a player and an earner, and he sounds like he realizes what this latest opportunity could mean for him.

"I'm still the same guy," Beasley said this week. "But it's desperation for me. This is my last chance, my last shot. It's either play or sit down and I'm not ready to play at 'The Y,' not ready for open gyms. I'm playing to eat right now, and I got kids. It adds that much more."

Beasley has claimed he's matured in the past, but it's certainly possible that fatherhood and the humbling experience of not landing a guaranteed contract in the NBA this summer have served to change his outlook. His time in China forced him to be alone - learn to cook, learn to do laundry, and more.

It's rarely been Beasley's play that's been in question when it comes to his future as a player. He's not a particularly good or even aware defender, but he can score at a high volume with relative efficiency, and he's a strong rebounder from the wing. Playing on a 10-day contract, the former No. 2 pick knows he has to show the Heat organization he's worth a longer look.

"My future, my career, could be over in three days," he said.

It's so far, so good for the Kansas State product. In four games with the Heat, Beasley has shot 14-of-35, scoring 32 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in 81 minutes. That's not elite production by any means, but the Heat need scoring at the forward position and they're 2-2 since bringing Beasley aboard.

At the very least, it seems likely Beasley will get another 10 days to prove himself.