Michael Beasley says he's a good mentor for Hassan Whiteside
In a way, Michael Beasley has a point.
Beasley, who carries a somewhat spotty reputation, joined the Kup and Croder Show on WQAM on Tuesday and revealed why he's a good mentor for temperamental Heat center Hassan Whiteside.
It’s funny because everybody looks at me or not even me, looks at a troublemaker, and really wouldn’t want him to hinder the success of anyone else.
Then they look at a Dwyane Wade and then a LeBron James, well, that’s the perfect guy to listen to. Well not always. Sometimes you want to listen to the guy that’s been through some things, the guy that fell off the mountain and climbed back and really that’s what Hassan needed.
That’s what I needed. That’s what I had in (Udonis Haslem) my first couple years, somebody that didn’t have the high road to take his whole career.
With respect to their backgrounds, Whiteside and Beasley do share some common ground. Like Beasley, Whiteside struggled to find his footing in his first time around the NBA. Similarly, Whiteside has shown to be a highly talented prospect dogged by poor decision making.
However, although their backgrounds are similar, the Heat aren't exactly lacking for more suitable role models. Wade is a three-time NBA champion, Heat president Pat Riley has eight rings to his name, and veterans like Haslem and Chris Andersen have also risen through the ranks as hard-working, blue collar types that fits Beasley's self-characterization.
- With h/t to Eye on Basketball