Beasley got jipped (photo. KSU)Tyler Hansbrough.
It’s almost as if people think that the Big 12 is a mid-major conference. While Michael Beasley’s 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per night are better than the 25.8 and 11.1 figures of last year’s Naismith POY, Kevin Durant, they are not good enough to get him the nod this year over Tyler Hansbrough. No doubt Psycho-T had a great year, but UNC’s 36-3 season shouldn’t be the reason that he trumped Beasley for the Naismith award.
Unlike Beasley, Hansbrough disappeared at times on the offensive end of the floor - even if the cameras were always able to find his pretty face. He had 12 points and 14 rebounds in a two-point win at Clemson; Trevor Booker gobbled him up in the paint. He went 6-15 for 17 points in the Heels’ loss to Maryland. And he ultimately struggled when Kansas’ army of forwards swallowed him up in the national semifinal.
Though that game technically doesn’t count towards the voting because it came during the Dance, it’s the perfect point of comparison between these two players. Hansbrough was one step away from a national title, and tallied 17 points and 9 boards in North Carolina’s loss on Saturday. Beasley wanted to shock the world and beat the Jayhawks just as badly when they played in Manhattan on January 30th. He infamously guaranteed a victory.
“We’re going to beat Kansas at home,” said Beasley. “We’re going to beat them in their house. We’re going to beat them in Africa. Wherever we play, we’re going to beat them.”
With Bill Self’s militia doubling-down on him inside, he stepped out and sunk 4-4 three’s as part of a 25-point, 6-rebound KSU win. The second time these two schools met up, Kansas came out on top. But Mike’s 39 points and 11 boards kept the Wildcats from being blown away in Lawrence. Against Kansas: Hansbrough, dominated. Beasley, dominant.
When KU’s Sherron Collins was asked who he thought deserved the award, he went with the no-brainer. “Take nothing from Hansbrough, but I think Beasley’s got the edge,” Collins said.
“Hansbrough got more help than Beasley did,” Collins said. “He (Beasley) did so much. Beasley still went for 30-something against us probably twice (actually, 25 at home and 39 at Allen Fieldhouse). I think we did a better job on Hansbrough. Beasley just does so much. He can shoot the three, step out, takes you off the dribble.”
Beasley did have one game where he wasn’t the most dominant player of the floor. Xavier obliterated the Wildcats on December 31st, and Beasley went 1-6 from the floor for 5 points and 12 boards. Aside from that one night, Beasley was the better player every single night of the season. Sure Hansbrough might have cheerleaders ooh-ing and aah-ing while doing backflips, but Mike got it done on the floor, even when no one else on his team could. And now he got jipped.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:24 am
boogey banger says:
nothing against psycho T (he’s more athletic than I thought last year) but he should hand it over to the Beas. part of me says it’s the old boy network that has the swing vote in this. Having a white poy means it’s not a completely black dominated sport. just my two cents.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Celts Fan says:
Beasley was damn good this year, but Hansbrough was the heart and soul of a team many favored to win the title when votes were cast, while Beasley got to dominate the ball on a bad team. Let’s also not forget, fairly or unfairly, that the voters really don’t want to give these awards to freshmen (especially the 1 and Done variety. Durant was the exception in a year where there were no great upper-classmen) It could’ve gone either way, though if Beasley was a junior or if KState had won a few more games, it probably goes to him (not saying that’s fair, just that that’s probably the case.)
April 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
foscheezeeee says:
This is crazy dawg. You gotta be kidding me, even if the Big 12 was considered a Mid-Major, Adam Morrison got it a couple of years ago with. But Beasley took a team to the dance that haven’t been there in 4ever….That’s how it goes down though, I woouldn’t say it deals with race though. They just hating, he gonna make millz anyway, so if I’m Mike I wouldn’t even be thinking about it…But that’s foul, dude should of had that in a run away
April 7th, 2008 at 8:54 am
bobby stew says:
And George Bush got more votes in Florida. Yeah right!
April 7th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Kobeef says:
Tyler was on a good team with a great coach - which is much different than being the best player in the nation (which is what this award is supposed to be for).
To make the case easy, image where the Tar Heels would be today if you replaced Tyler with Beasley. UNC would have won the ‘chip easily.
Tyler is a poster-boy for the NCAA which I guess is what they wanted. Lots of factors go in the POY award, unfortunately the ability of the player is lower on the list.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Kobeef says:
Actually, to be specific, against Kansas Tyler flopped, again and again because it was the only thng he could do to help his team. Not the kind of conter-attack you’d like to see from the POY.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
YOUNGFED says:
Yet another GREAT WHITE HOPE!! Here we go again. WTF.
This gettin’ out of hand first Nash’s MVP’s now this.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Bron42 says:
both have their niche…if your looking for a dominant college player, you take mike. if your lookin for a player with hard, a engine that never stops and a team with 5 other mcdonald all americans, its psycho. so because b-easy’s team didn’t have the overall firepower that NC had, even though he had much better stats and was dominant the whole year, he loses out? come on now. thought college was supposed to be more logical than the pros.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:01 am
YOUNGFED says:
Damn’ Bron42 you jacked on of my nicknames, should’ve trade marked B-Easy.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Celts Fan says:
this is jsut like MVP. There is no set standard of what to vote for. If it’s best player in the country, it’s Beasley, but the games are about winning and Beasley hasn’t won enough. Hansbrough was the best player on the best team (at the time, they were the favorites, so that was the logic) which is a perfectly reasonable way to go. Also, again, this award has only gone to a freshman once (last year) and I’m sure they favor guys that play more than 1 year whenever it’s close. Beasley could’ve gone to Duke, or UNC, or just about any team in the country, I’m sure. He chose to be the big fish in a small pond at KState on a team that wasn’t very good at all (his choice, nothing wrong with that, but in close races, the edge will always go to the guy on the better team when the gap is that big.) He made a huge difference for them, but just like you’d never give the MVP to a guy from a barely-above 500 team when there are quality candidates available from contending teams, it’s tough to give it to a guy on a team that barely made the tournament over a guy that’s the heart and soul of a contender. It’d be a travesty if he got jobbed while on a good team, but he wasn’t on a good team and Hansbrough was. Beasley had better numbers, yes, but it’s all about winning and Tyler was the best player (on BOTH ends of the floor) on a title-favorite (that wasn’t knocked off until well after votes were cast.)
My vote probably would’ve gone to Beasley, but it’s MUCH closer than you guys are making it out to be.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Smitty313 says:
When will we have a great white American in the NBA. All the great white guys in the league are from different country’s. Tyler is going to be a Dennis Rodman, Ben Wallace type of player in the NBA but not a superstar. B-EZ deserved the POY trophy especialy if Durant got it last year. Mostly white people attend NBA games, more would watch if they have someone to connect to beside cats from Germany, Canada, and Aregentina.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Common Sense says:
Thanks to Celts for applying some dignity to these posts. I haven’t seen this much reverse bigotry and obvious racism since I don’t know when.
You got this clown, youngfed, bitchin the debate down to race cuz the best player on the best team got the hardware sayin this shit about Nash for the past month. Nobody cares so get over it. 2 years ago, it was Morrison vs redick and there was no argument. Face the facts, in college, the best player on a team with a chance to win will get it nine times outta ten. You bigots forget that Hansborough carried that team for weeks while waiting for Lawson to get back. Either one coulda won and it wouldn’t change the fact that Beasley’s gonna be a future all-star while Hansborough will be servicable at best. It’s the Heisman for bball and when you go to Carolina and the team is dominant, you already have an advantage, whether you black or white…
April 7th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Dre says:
Lets not talk with our hearts, let’s use our heads. Do I feel Beasley is a better player. Yes, However like it was stated, the Beast did his thing in a pitiful conference. UNC being #1 for many times during the year and having that school name got peoples best shot every single night. He got double and triple teamed every night, by better teams, in a better conference and he still had sick averages. The author beings up Trevor Booker… Booker like every one else never played Hansbrough 1 on 1, so to solely give him the credit for that is very misleading. He works harder then any player I have ever seen, he has improved his jumper and he can shoot free throws and finish around the basket. No one ever really gave a damn about K-State before Billy Walker or the Beast. Basketball fans all over this country know about UNC. So being the best player on a team like UNC brings the haters, and the warriors trying to prove that they can defense you. The author brought out 3 games where he didn’t score that much, correct me if I’m wrong but I thought he was human… this ain’t NCAA 08 on playstation… where someone can always be hot.
Also lets not forget the rumors the the Beast picked K-State because of the weak competition to bolster numbers for the NBA draft.
Do I feel that the NCAA loves a white boy to be able to point to as being the face of college basketball… Yep, they market the hell out of him. Unfortunately for those of us who like for our brothers to represent… they picked a white boy that it’s hard to argue against.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:33 am
YOUNGFED says:
Good points Dre, Fuk what Common Sense talking bout dude just sounds ignorant. Its just observations not racism dude.
We all know B-Easy should’ve wound but in his SI interview B-Easy said it was going to Tyler and that he didn’t care who got it. Dude is about to get BREAD why should he care and why should we. This will probably be Tylers on Award. Dude had to player for years just to get drafted and if they were still lettin’ highschooler’s in he’d probably go second round.
NUFF SAID
April 7th, 2008 at 11:48 am
d says:
Beasley had Bill Walker, and that was pretty much it. Hansbrough went to a school notorious for strong recruiting and a solid team around him. The game is rigged. It’s why Duke got a 2-seed and got ousted in the second round. And it wasn’t like it was a fluke. They were just garbage. There’s so many biased opinions when it comes to college ball, it’s lame. And it’s always the white kid. And 9 out of 10 times, the white kid sucks in the NBA.
So while Hansbrough will always have his Naismith trophy, he’ll have fun lugging it across the water when he’s stuck in the Euro Leagues after he bombs out of the NBA.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:53 am
GEE...if 30 is the new 20 is 20 the new 10? says:
This is just GEE. In looking at if they were on opposite teams, B-Easy would murder, kill, plunder, rape, steal and destroy. Meanwhile Hansbro would just be there as another hard working face.
Sorry B-Easy is better and more deserving to me.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
BxBaller says:
In the end, Beasly will no doubt have a better NBA career anyways, plus he’ll make more money.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Too many people are turning this into a race issue when it’s not. Nash deserves every award his gotten thus far. Psycho T was a neck and neck runner up for the award. Personally I would have given it to MB but Tyler’s had a great run the four years his been a tar heal and broke a lot of records. I mean he has the most points for a tar heal and think of who’s played there?
April 7th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Austin Burton says:
If you don’t think race played a factor here, you’re being real naive.
@Dre — If anything, it was the ACC that had a down year: Duke took 2nd place but they weren’t the “Duke” we’ve known over the years. Maryland, Georgia Tech, NC State, Boston College, Wake Forest … all usually-solid ACC teams that weren’t good this year.
Meanwhile in the Big XII, Kansas is in the national championship game, Texas was a stronger #2-seed than Duke, Oklahoma was good, Baylor was good and Texas A%M was good. At worst, I’d say the two conferences were equally as strong, but I honestly think the Big XII was better. When you say, “He got double and triple teamed every night, by better teams, in a better conference and he still had sick averages,” you might as well be talking about Beasley.
And just because Hansbrough is more kinetic on the court, you don’t know that Beasley doesn’t work as hard or harder. Everyone I spoke to while writing the Beasley cover story said all he does is spend time at the gym working on his game. And like he said, “I practice hard to make it look easy.” Besides, this is the Hard Work Award; it’s the Player of the Year.
You saw how Hansbrough got taken out by Kansas; Beasley was getting doubled and tripled against KU, adjusted his game and still got his points, and led an inferior team to a win when they first played in Manhattan.
Also, once Beasley put up those numbers in the first few games, you know he was getting everyone’s best shot. It’s not like he was a secret beyond Thanksgiving.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
foscheezeeee says:
Austin hit it right on the head. Big XII was tougher this year in my opinion….Also right about this being the “Player of the Year” Award and not some award for the hard working hustler award. I hate to say race played an issue, but Austin might be right. I think this is something that needs to be corrected, but I don’t think it will be.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Dre says:
The Big 12 is really not that good of a basketball conference. ACC was top heavy, but the majority of the teams kicked but in their out of conference schedule. Yes Beasley beat Kansas but look at the teams they lost to. The Beast would have been very deserving of the award, and I personally would not have had a problem with it but to say that Hansbrough getting it is a jip is just plain ignorant. The dude put up numbers against better competition night in and night out period. Hansbrough works hard during the games and in practice. When the coach gives the team the day off, he doesn’t take off… he goes and lifts and then puts up 200-300 jumpers. He has been doing his thing for 3 years and has been getting double teamed since his freshman year and look at his points… look at the records he has broken… the 3 point plays and the free throws. Say what you want be he is a worthy choice.
Those who say that he will be in Europe are emotion driven and don’t know basketball. He won’t be a superstar but with his work ethic I seem him being like Linas Klieza of Denver and at the very very least like Eduardo N. of Denver.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Dre says:
I forgot to mention 17 pts against Mizz and 5pts against Xavier in 32 min. I’m not sure if Hansbrough has scored that low in 3 years of college. So to the author we all can play the low point game and point to low points by any player… that is kind of ridiculous.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
it’ll always go to the white boy at a big program
im surprised josh mcroberts aint win it one year
austin, stop sucking on beasley cause he black and dont discredit tyler cause he white
beasley has athletic ability, tyler can barely run; did you see his reaction running down the court in the acc conference tourney game against virginia? duffy and guffy
it could have gone either way; cant hate the choice. you either pick A or B; no real wrong answer
…and even if race was a factor; so what?
April 7th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Dre says:
True… he can run though… he is on a running team… he had a couple of nice 360s on the break this year and put backs. Now he has no damn rhythm at all… so he needs to stick with ballin.
April 8th, 2008 at 4:40 am
karan says:
“cameras on his pretty face”
“cheerleaders oohing and aahing…”
andrew, you almost sound jealous of tyler
April 8th, 2008 at 8:19 am
doc says:
They burned Beasley.Dave what tougher comp did Psyco T play.Duke wasnt shit and that was the only good team.Thats not top heavy.Kansas and Texas would’ve ran away with the ACC this year.Not to mention Beasley might have won the shit himself.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Janeknows says:
I can’t believe that everyone wants to use the race card even in this award. Tyler works harder off the court than anyone in basketball, then someone says that he doesn’t deserve his awards. He had a team full of talent and he still shined, he was not the only thing in sight that could dribble all the way down the court with either hand, of course he would stand out. Tell him to stay around for a couple more years and earn his rewards and the rest of you quit trying to put race in somewhere that it has no place being. Don’t go there and no one else will.
April 8th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Austin Burton says:
If you can’t see the racial element here, I don’t know what to say to you at this point. Why do you think Brett Favre’s retirement/swan song season got 1,000 times more coverage than Emmitt Smith’s retirement/swan song? Forget that Emmitt was a more accomplished football player (all-time rushing champ, 3 Super Bowl rings) than Favre, I don’t recall any Sportscenter Specials when he hung up his cleats.
Anyway, like I said before, this isn’t the Hard Work Award, it’s the Player of the Year Award. Sherron Collins was busting his ass in the national title game last night, but I don’t think that means he should have gotten MVP.