Michael Beasley’s time with the New York Knicks was fleeting, yet memorable. His infectious personality produced unforgettable moments.
The Walking Bucket only spent one season with the New York Knicks, but Michael Beasley quickly became a fan favorite. The swingman is supremely talented on offense, making the lefty an exciting player to watch.
But his youthful exuberance off the court and laidback nature endeared Beasley to the New York fanbase. The man is unpredictable at every turn.
The former second overall pick needed to prove to the rest of the NBA that he could still perform at a high level—and do it without rocking the boat. Beasley did that and more. Although his off the court persona could sometimes overshadow his on the court play, Beasley turned in a few memorable moments during the 2017-18 season.
He averaged 13.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Not only did he score, he did it efficiently. He shot just over 50 percent from the field and just under 40 percent from deep. His brief layover in New York helped him secure a one year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for next season.
But before Beasley begins his tenure with the Lakers, let’s reflect on all the great moments he provided to New York.
Honorable Mentions
There is a lot to choose from here. Beasley is a quote machine and he’s always dropping awesome sound bites. In one clip just prior to the season, Beasley snuck three incredible quotes into a two-minute span. First, he mentions that he likes passing because scoring is too easy for him. Next, he likened himself to Carmelo Anthony, just on the left side of the court. Beasley caps off this masterpiece by declaring himself “your favorite player’s favorite player.” Amazing.
On the court, Beasley backed up his talk. On Nov. 25, the Knicks faced off with the formidable Rockets without a banged-up Kristaps Porzingis. Beasley had yet to garner a consistent role in the rotation, but on that night Jeff Hornacek needed scoring. Beasley provided just that.
The lefty dropped 30 points, 18 of which came in a scintillating first quarter performance. He added eight rebounds and had the Knicks challenging the star-laden Rockets in the first half. Unfortunately, Beasley and the Knicks couldn’t keep pace and received a drubbing in the third quarter. The Knicks lost in embarrassing fashion, but the Walking Bucket put the world on notice.
#5: Play The Whistle
In a January game at Madison Square Garden, Manu Ginobili attempts to throw a lob inside to LaMarcus Aldridge. In a stroke of luck, Ginobili’s pass finds the basket rather than Aldridge’s hands. The play caught almost everyone in the building off guard. And then chaos ensues.
Beasley grabbed the “rebound” and proceeded to start the fast break, despite the fact that Manu hit the shot. The referees continue to let the play go on without awarding the basket to the Spurs. Eventually, the referees stop the game and award San Antonio three points, but the utter confusion of the situation is classic Beasley.
Play the whistle. This is something that Beasley could probably get away with if he was at the park. It’s unfortunate that the referees had to step in and make the right call.
#4: Jan. 9, 1989
What significance does January 9th, 1989 have on Michael Beasley’s 2017-18 season with the Knicks? Well, that is the date that Beasley was born. And apparently, that’s the day that he knew he had the hot hand. In a way that only he could, Beasley delivered one of the most confident quotes you’ll ever hear.
After a game in November, Beasley was asked when he knew he had the hot hand. His reply was simple: “January 9th, 1989.” He’s been feeling the hot hand since birth. Knicks fans ran wild with this quote, and rightfully so. Twitter bios filled with variations of this gem.
The game against Boston that led to this quote was anything but a bad moment for Beasley, but more on that later.
#3: Spoiling Carmelo's Return
Carmelo Anthony’s return to Madison Square Garden took over New York on one Saturday night in December. The smattering of boos amongst the raucous cheers of the Melo faithful was clearly the story of the night.
Well, until Michael Beasley seized the spotlight from the former franchise player. On another night where Porzingis was sidelined with nagging injuries and Tim Hardaway Jr. was out as well, Beasley stepped in without missing a beat. The swingman pocketed his second 30 point performance of the season and effectively ruined Anthony’s homecoming.
These types of offensive explosions brought a palpable energy to the Garden. The place was buzzing when Beasley was cooking. Although Beasley’s inconsistent play reared its ugly head at times, he was always one bucket away from popping off like he did against Carmelo Anthony and the Thunder.
#2: Using 11 Percent
Beasley appeared on the podcast, Timeout with Taylor Rooks and provided the most compelling scientific theory this side of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Somehow, Rooks and Beasley began debating the functional capacity of the human brain. Things took an interesting turn when Beasley refused to back down from the idea that everyone uses 10 percent of their brain—except the person who discovered this fact because he must have used 11 percent of his brain to figure it out.
If this sounds confusing, it’s probably because you aren’t using 11 percent of your brain. Try and keep up.
#1: Beasley Dominates Boston
Just two short games after Beasley spoiled Melo’s return to the Garden, the jab-happy lefty decided it was time to give the Celtics fits. Beasley notched a double-double with 32 points and 12 rebounds in fewer than 25 minutes. This was his third 30 point performance of the season, but this one came with one major difference.
Kristaps Porzingis returned to the lineup after missing two straight games with pestering injuries. The problem was, KP turned in one of the worst performances of his career. Porzingis went 0-for-11 from the field and finished with a single point. But have no fear, Michael Beasley is here.
The Walking Bucket lived up to his nickname in the second half. Beasley torched the Celtics who never seemed to find an answer for the slashing forward. Brad Stevens threw everything but the kitchen sink at Beas but to no avail.
Beasley’s performances led to MVP chants from the crowd. It was a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, Beasley may have taken slight offense to the chants. When asked how it felt to hear the MVP chants, he quickly mentioned that they were probably for Porzingis because he stood up on the bench. Some players feel that when fans rain MVP chants down on players outside the MVP conversation, it’s only to mock the player. Beasley may have felt this way. Or perhaps the life of the party just didn’t want the spotlight on that particular night.
Either way, it’s clear that Knicks fans weren’t mocking you, Mike, they were embracing you.