Michael Beasley Interview
By Jeff Lenchiner | May 30, 2008
The 2008 NBA pre-draft camp ended Friday. That same day, the league measured all the prospects for their height, weight and various strength and skills tests. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner met with Michael Beasley, one of the top prospects, for an exclusive interview late Friday afternoon after the majority of the building had emptied out. And Michael Beasley's official NBA height measurement from today's tests, information that much of the basketball world was looking forward to learning, is here and here only.
InsideHoops.com: What do you think your ideal position is in the NBA? Should we call you a small forward who is big enough to play power forward?
Michael Beasley: Yeah, I like that. Because I didn't measure at what I want to measure at.
InsideHoops.com: What did you measure at?
Michael Beasley: 6-8.
InsideHoops.com: Ah, 6-8, right on the nose?
Michael Beasley: 6-8 and a half.
Note: We didn't ask, but Beasley had to be talking about what he measured in shoes, because that would not be disappointing barefoot measurement at all.
InsideHoops.com: OK, so, rounded off that's 6-9.
Michael Beasley: 6-9, please!
InsideHoops.com: So, we should call you a...
Michael Beasley: Three, four.
InsideHoops.com: An NBA three who is strong enough to rebound like a four.
Michael Beasley: I like that.
InsideHoops.com: Sound good?
Michael Beasley: Yeah.
InsideHoops.com: Am I your PR rep or a reporter?
Michael Beasley: [Laughs]
InsideHoops.com: Who were some of the most impressive players you saw playing in the pre-draft camp? Since although you didn't play I'm sure you watched some of the games, and also saw some of the other guys who didn't play shoot around and show some stuff.
Michael Beasley: I think a lot of people. Davon Jefferson, he showed me something. Sean Singletary. Joey Dorsey.
InsideHoops.com: Who is your favorite NBA player to watch?
Michael Beasley: Carmelo [Anthony].
InsideHoops.com: Melo? What about him does it for you?
Michael Beasley: He's just got it all. He's got inside, he's got outside. He's got it all.
InsideHoops.com: What are your favorite moments so far as a player. Not this camp, but as far as playing in games goes?
Michael Beasley: When we beat KU, man! When we beat KU. Got to be.
Jeff Lenchiner, a national pro basketball analyst, is the editor of InsideHoops.com.
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