Former Lakers PG puts LeBron James and Michael Beasley in the same conversation

Michael Beasley never lived up to expectations after being drafted No. 2 by the Miami Heat in the 2008 NBA draft. Nevertheless, according to ex-LA Lakers point guard Smush Parker, Beasley was an all-time talented prospect, rivaling a young LeBron James.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with remarkable strength, athleticism and three-level scoring ability, Beasley dominated in high school and college.

He attended six different high schools, making an across-the-board impact at each stop. In his senior season at Notre Dame Preparatory School (2006-07), Beasley averaged 28.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 4.5 blocks per game. During the campaign, he peaked with a 64-point outburst.

The combo forward later won the Big 12 Player of the Year award during his freshman college season at Kansas State (2007-08). Over 33 outings, he ranked third in the nation in scoring (26.2 ppg) and first in rebounding (12.4 rpg), shooting 53.2%.

However, after Miami selected Beasley second in the 2008 draft, he struggled to fit in, later bouncing around the NBA. He ultimately played for seven franchises across 11 seasons before falling out of the league in 2019. Nonetheless, according to Parker, Beasley had elite talent.

During an interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson published on Tuesday, Parker recounted James' high school dominance. The superstar forward was famously drafted No. 1 in the 2003 draft out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, establishing himself as arguably the NBA's GOAT.

While praising the four-time MVP, Parker noted that a young Beasley was the only high school prospect he saw whose talent matched James'.

"For a high school kid, I've never seen anyone that agile, that big, a freak of nature, head above the rim on all his dunks, and he was just physically gifted, and I have not seen anyone like that — No, I'm lying. I did see somebody just like that in high school, and his name was Michael Beasley," Parker said. "Michael Beasley was just like LeBron James in high school."

While Beasley's NBA career accomplishments pale in comparison to James', he still made an impact as a scorer. He peaked at 19.2 ppg with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2010-11 campaign. However, despite facing superstar expectations, he never made an All-Star team.

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Michael Beasley says he was misused throughout his NBA career

As for why Michael Beasley never achieved NBA stardom, according to the former 11-year veteran, he was misused throughout his career.

On the "Club 520 Podcast" last month, Beasley noted that playing at point guard, shooting guard or small forward would have maximized his two-way abilities. However, his coaches primarily utilized him as a power forward.

"Everybody played me as a four because of college, but I've been playing out of position my whole career," Beasley said. "You play me at the one, two or three, and I'm bigger, better on defense. Now I've got somebody to play pick-and-roll with."

Beasley added that he didn't prioritize his conditioning as much as he should have upon getting drafted, likely contributing to his shortcomings.

"When I got to the NBA, I didn’t take lifting weights or taking care of my body as seriously as I should've," Beasley said. "Now that I'm older, I realize if I don't lift right or stretch right, my back starts hurting. You know what I'm saying? And I feel that now."

Now, Beasley's career has become somewhat of a what-if, with many believing he didn't even scratch the surface of his potential.

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Also Read: "We kind of put two and two together" - Kevin Durant on how 11-year-old Michael Beasley stole a pizza from his team the first time they met