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Michael Beasley reveals why he decided to go to Kansas State: "I promised to follow D-Hill"
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- Michael Beasley reveals why he decided to go to Kansas State: "I promised to follow D-Hill"
Michael Beasley played and starred for Kansas State University in college. It was a path inspired by Dalonte Hill, his AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) coach in the Washington D.C. area.
The Cheverly, Maryland native played under Hill when he was part of DC Assault's 17-and-under team in the early 2000s. Beasley did not get to play much early on for one of the highly regarded AAU programs in the country, but he got the opportunity to spend time with Hill, who guided him in the direction he wanted his basketball journey to take.
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It included following his coach to Kansas State after Hill was hired as an assistant for the Wildcats.
On his appearance on the "Run Your Race" podcast, Beasley shared the type of bond he had built with his AAU coach and the reason behind his decision to attend college in the Midwest.
"Uh, Dalonte Hill [was the reason I went to Kansas State]. So, in my first stop playing with D.C. Assault, I ain't got no minutes. Okay. I was playing around dogs. Dwayne Anderson, Dante Cunningham, Jeff Green… So, in my first year, I didn't see the floor… I remember spending so much time with D-Hill before and after the game, he helping me get my shots up, you know. I always used to say to D-Hill… Man, I need to get [more playing time] and get my legs moving," Beasley said .
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"I really wanted to go to Georgetown so hard, but like that part of me just wanted to stay home. So I told D-Hill, 'Wherever you go, I'm going,' And he thought I was playing, but I just told him, like, I'll go, wherever you commit. But I just promised to follow D-Hill. He was my man," he added.
Phenomenal one year with the Wildcats
Beasley only played one year at Kansas State, but it was enough to impress everybody who got to see him play. In the 33 games he suited up for the Wildcats, B-Easy posted averages of 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds (nation-leading), 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals in 32.0 minutes of play.
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He led the nation in double-doubles with 28, 40-point games (three), 30-point, 10-rebound games (13) and 20-point, 10-rebound games (22). Michael's 28 double-doubles broke the freshman double-double record of 22 previously held by Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse in the 2002-03 campaign.
Beasley's stellar showing made him widely regarded as one of the best freshman collegiate basketball players of the 2000s .
"Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley are the two best college players that ever came out of the NCAA. That's just my opinion. What those two guys did, I don't think we'll see anything like that ever again. We might, but it might take years," former Kansas player Darnell Jackson said of Beasley.
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Second overall pick in the NBA
After his impressive one-and-done campaign in college, Beasley declared for the NBA Draft in 2008. Not surprisingly, he was selected high at No. 2 by the Miami Heat , behind Memphis ' Derrick Rose , who went to the Chicago Bulls . B-Easy played well in his first year with the Heat , earning a spot in the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and continued to improve in his second year.
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After two years in Miami, however, Beasley found himself bouncing around the league in his next nine years in the NBA, from 2010 to 2018, unable to find a truly suitable situation for him, compounded by a number of off-court issues.
With the way things happened for B-Easy in the pros, one could only imagine how it would have been if he had someone like D-Hill by his side, like in the AAU and college.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
