The former 2nd overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft has been labelled as a bust in the NBA.
However, Michael Beasley has carved out a decent career for himself in a different continent. After he was given a second chance by the Miami Heat, the team that drafted him, his contract was not renewed and he was forced to look for other opportunities, and China has become a destination for NBA veterans.
In one of his recent games, Beasley, who was known for his volatile behavior, played the unusual role of peacemaker when former NBA player Jason Maxiell lost his stop and went after a Chinese player.
This oddity was noticed by CBS Detroit when they said, "the craziest thing to me is that former second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Michael Beasley, is the one who talked some sense into Maxiell." Maxiell played with the Detroit Pistons from 2005-2013.
The melee started when Chinese player Wu Ke of the Shandong Flaming Bulls ran behind Maxiell who was positioning for a rebound. Ke threw a cheap shot at the back of Maxiell's head and the former Piston promptly turned around and threw a punch.
He missed and it gave the taller Ke (6'10) a chance to run for his life. The situation got serious as Maxiell never stopped chasing the Chinese player all the way to the other end of the court and no one could restrain him.
Enter Michael Beasley who approached Maxiell and started whispering to his ear and embracing him, which eventually calmed down the former Piston.
The full video can be viewed at Basketball Buddha, and the video post went viral as it was picked up by various US NBA sites.
Nick Bedard of Basketball Buddha reported that Shandong eventually won the game to the score of 119-97, in part due to Beasley's heroics. He also reported that the Chinese Basketball Associatin has suspended Wu Ke, the player who started it all, for a whopping 11 games.