A couple of days later, the former Chaminade College Prep basketball All-American gave himself the best birthday present possible by agreeing to one of the biggest contracts in the history of the National Basketball Association.
With the opening of NBA free agency on Thursday, Beal agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to remain with the Washington Wizards, the team that drafted him in 2012 and who Beal has played his entire professional career with.Â
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Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 40 games with the Wizards in an injury-shortened 40-game season before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery. In 2021, Beal had one of the best seasons of his career when he averaged 31.3 points a game and becoming a starter in the NBA All-Star Game. In his 10 seasons with the Wizards, Beal has career averages of 22.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range.
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 Beal’s new contract becomes the biggest deal in the history of professional sports in Washington, D.C. Ironically, the third biggest deal in Washington, D.C. sports history was signed by another St. Louisan, Max Scherzer. The future Hall of Fame starting pitcher signed a $210 million deal to play for the Washington Nationals in 2015.
