Much is expected when a “one and done” prospect leaves university life for fame and fortune in the NBA, especially when he’s drafted third overall. Those expectations are doubled when said star comes from a mid-market city with no NBA team and little representation amongst its ranks.
Well, to be fair, the St. Louis area is in the midst of a basketball resurgence in terms of players making it to the next level. Still, David Lee, the Golden State Warriors’ newly-minted All-Star forward, had been the only impact player from the 314 in quite a while. Following a slow start and an accelerated maturation process, Beal looks ready to join Lee as an All-Star in the near future.
The silky-smooth-shooting Beal has never been short of confidence. He has the rare and uncanny ability to get buckets on the court and defend an opposing team’s best wing player, yet maintains a humbleness off the court. That confidence was sure to be tested, though, going to a dismal Washington Wizards team that won just 20 games in the 2011-12 season. With John Wall injured to start the season, the youngster was expected to lead the offense and produce immediate dividends.
Initially, Beal looked so-so to critics as he adjusted to the next level. The shooting guard averaged just over 11 points per game during his first month as a pro and his team lost 13 out of its first 14 games. With Wall out, teams focused on stopping the rookie and made him work for every basket. As often happens in the social media world of instant overreaction, some fans questioned Beal’s credibility as a high draft pick.
A funny thing happened the following month. Beal got better, averaging 13.4 ppg during the month of December. Each successive month, Beal has raised his scoring average on a team that desperately needs someone to put the ball in the hole. In February, he’s average nearly 18 ppg and has established himself as a leader on the ballclub despite being the team’s youngest player by three years.
Beal told the media the game is finally “slowing down” for him and as a result he’s more comfortable on the court. He’s also becoming more comfortable with the idea of being a vocal leader on the team. After sensing his team was conceding defeating during a relatively close game versus the Toronto Raptors, Beal uncharacteristically laid into his teammates during a timeout, chastising them for a lack of urgency.
The 19-year-old later told the Washington Post, “I’m not saying my teammates quit, but we still had an opportunity to win…The game is never over. That’s what I was kind of upset about.”
Since Beal’s outburst, the Wizards have won three straight games. Even with John Wall back in the fold, it appears Beal is the team’s go-to guy. That decision is paying dividends. The Wizards are 7-3 in their last 10 and its prized rookie is finally living up to the hype and expectations of such a high lottery pick. Though it’s highly unlikely the team will get a taste of the playoffs this season, Beal seems to be a key ingredient to Washington’s recipe for success. The team will almost certainly improve on its lowly win total from last season.
If #3 continues to improve and mature at his current rate, Beal should be able to break Washington’s postseason gridlock in the coming years. With the help of the east coast media machine, when that happens, look for the STL’s own to blow up on the national scene and help continue the city’s transformation from a blip to a blimp on the national basketball scene.
Follow In the Clutch on twitter @intheclutchstl and Ishmael Sistrunk on Google+.
