Malik Beasley Bio
Malik JonMikal Beasley is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, Beasley has built his reputation across the league as a dynamic scoring guard known for his perimeter shooting and offensive aggression. Drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft, he has since suited up for six NBA franchises over the course of his professional career.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Beasley rose to national prominence as a highly rated high school recruit before spending a single standout season at Florida State University. Across nearly a decade in the NBA, he has developed into one of the league’s most prolific three-point shooters, setting franchise records for made three-pointers with two different organizations.
Early Life and Background
Malik JonMikal Beasley was born on November 26, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He grew up in the greater Atlanta area and attended Saint Francis School in Alpharetta, Georgia, where he emerged as one of the most highly regarded basketball prospects in the state. As a senior, he averaged 22.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game, earning Georgia Class 1A Player of the Year honors and a spot on the All-State Class A First Team.
Regarded as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Beasley committed to Florida State over scholarship offers from UConn, UCLA, Wake Forest, Oregon, and several other programs. His grandfather was the late actor John Beasley, known for his role as Notre Dame football Coach Warren in the film Rudy, giving the young Beasley a notable connection to the world of entertainment alongside his rising athletic profile.
Path to Basketball
Beasley joined the Florida State Seminoles for the 2015–16 college basketball season and immediately established himself as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top freshmen. He averaged 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 29.8 minutes per game across 34 contests, leading the Seminoles in scoring and helping the program to a 20–14 record and a berth in the NIT Tournament. His strong play earned him a selection to the ACC All-Freshman Team, and he finished eighth in the conference in free throw percentage at .813 and tenth in field-goal percentage at .471.
On March 21, 2016, after just one season in Tallahassee, Beasley declared for the NBA draft and became the first player in Florida State basketball history to leave school as a one-and-done prospect. Despite undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right leg after the season, which prevented him from participating in pre-draft workouts, his freshman production kept him firmly on first-round radars. He was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 2016 NBA draft.
Malik Beasley Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Beasley signed his rookie scale contract with the Denver Nuggets on August 9, 2016, and opened his NBA career in a limited bench role. He appeared in just two of Denver’s first seven games of the season and failed to score across fewer than eight minutes of total action, prompting multiple assignments to the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. His first significant contribution came on November 10, 2016, when he scored 12 points in 15 minutes off the bench in a 125–101 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
By his third season, Beasley had carved out a more consistent role, appearing in 81 games and averaging over 11 points per contest. On February 1, 2019, he recorded a then-career-high 35 points in a win over the Houston Rockets, signaling his emergence as a legitimate scoring threat. Across three and a half seasons in Denver, he developed into a reliable three-point weapon off the bench before the franchise opted to move him.
Denver Nuggets Breakthrough (2016–2020)
Selected 19th overall in the 2016 NBA draft, Beasley spent his formative NBA years with the Denver Nuggets, where he learned the pace-and-space system that would define his professional identity. Despite early struggles with playing time and a stress fracture that delayed his offseason development, he gradually earned the trust of the coaching staff and became a steady source of instant offense. His shooting range and quick release made him a natural fit for Denver’s up-tempo offensive philosophy.
Across three and a half seasons with the Nuggets, Beasley appeared in more than 200 games and refined the deep shooting stroke that would later produce franchise records elsewhere. On February 5, 2020, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a four-team, 12-player deal, ending his Denver tenure and ushering in the most productive stretch of his career.
Minnesota Timberwolves Era (2020–2022)
After arriving in Minnesota, Beasley immediately inherited a starting role and saw his scoring output rise dramatically. In 14 games to close the 2019–20 season, he averaged 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while starting every contest. On November 27, 2020, he re-signed with the Timberwolves on a reported four-year, $60 million contract, cementing his long-term status with the franchise.
The 2020–21 campaign proved to be a milestone year for Beasley’s perimeter shooting. On March 5, 2022, he broke the Timberwolves franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season, surpassing Kevin Love’s previous mark of 190. Four days later, he connected on a franchise-record 11 three-pointers in a 132–102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, finishing with 33 points in the contest and setting the NBA record for the most points in a game scored exclusively from three-point shots. On April 16, 2022, during Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, he posted a playoff career-high 23 points in a 130–117 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers (2022–2023)
On July 6, 2022, Beasley was traded, alongside Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, the draft rights to Walker Kessler, four future first-round picks, and a pick swap, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Rudy Gobert. He made his Jazz debut on October 19, 2022, logging 15 points and five rebounds in a 123–102 win over his former Denver team.
Beasley’s stint with the Jazz ended on February 9, 2023, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves. He made his Lakers debut two days later, recording four points and two rebounds in a 109–103 win over the Golden State Warriors. On June 29, 2023, the Lakers declined his team option, returning him to free agency.
Milwaukee Bucks Era (2023–2024)
Beasley signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on July 6, 2023, joining a contender and reuniting with championship-caliber infrastructure. He opened the season in a featured scoring role and posted a season-high 30 points during a 128–112 win over the Toronto Raptors on November 16, 2023. His shooting ability translated seamlessly into Milwaukee’s offense alongside established stars.
On February 17, 2024, Beasley participated in the NBA Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, ultimately finishing as runner-up to his Bucks teammate Damian Lillard in a memorable in-house finale. After one season in Milwaukee, he entered free agency once again in the summer of 2024.
Detroit Pistons Era (2024–2025)
On July 11, 2024, Beasley signed with the Detroit Pistons and quickly became a central figure in the team’s offensive scheme. On January 13, 2025, he scored 22 points in a 124–119 win over the New York Knicks, going 6-of-8 from beyond the arc and draining the final two three-pointers that sealed the victory. Less than a month later, on February 9, he set a new career high with 36 points in a 125–112 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Two days after that outburst, on February 11, Beasley set a Pistons franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season with 212, surpassing the previous mark of 211 held by Saddiq Bey. He played in all 82 games for Detroit during the 2024–25 NBA season, averaging 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. After the regular season, he finished second in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, losing out to Boston’s Payton Pritchard. The Pistons’ playoff run ended in a 113–116 Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks in the first round.
Driving Style and Strengths
Beasley’s professional identity is built around elite perimeter shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, where his quick release and deep range have produced franchise records with two different organizations. He thrives in transition and as a movement shooter, leveraging constant motion to free himself for catch-and-shoot opportunities. His offensive game is complemented by steadily improving rebounding for his position and a growing comfort operating off screens in halfcourt sets.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Beasley’s most memorable achievements are his 11 three-pointers and 33 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in March 2022, the NBA record for points in a game scored exclusively from three-point shots, and his 212 made three-pointers for Detroit during the 2024–25 season, a Pistons franchise record. He also earned All-Star Weekend recognition as runner-up in the 2024 Three-Point Contest and finished as the 2024–25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up.
Malik Beasley Career Wins
Across his professional career with the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons, Malik JonMikal Beasley has established himself as a consistently productive scorer, highlighted by multiple franchise three-point records and All-Star Weekend recognition.
NBA Career Highlights
Beasley’s NBA résumé features two separate franchise three-point records, one set with the Minnesota Timberwolves at 240 made triples and another with the Detroit Pistons at 212. He has posted career highs of 36 points with Detroit and 35 points with Denver, while also delivering a 33-point, 11-three-pointer performance for Minnesota that stands as an NBA record. He is a former Sixth Man of the Year finalist and a one-time NBA Three-Point Contest runner-up.
Other Wins & Performances
Before turning professional, Beasley was named Georgia’s Class 1A Player of the Year as a senior at Saint Francis School and was later selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team during his lone season at Florida State.
Malik Beasley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Malik JonMikal Beasley comes from a family with ties to both sports and entertainment. His late grandfather, John Beasley, was an accomplished actor whose screen credits included the role of Notre Dame football Coach Warren in the acclaimed 1993 film Rudy, offering the young Beasley early exposure to professional performance and storytelling environments.
Personal Life
Beasley married Montana Yao, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son, on March 26, 2019. They later had a second child, a daughter, on November 11, 2022. Beasley had a brief public relationship with TV personality Larsa Pippen from 2020 into 2021. On March 4, 2025, Yao filed for divorce from Beasley, citing irreconcilable differences.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 NBA season represented one of the most productive campaigns of Malik JonMikal Beasley’s professional career. Appearing in all 82 games for the Detroit Pistons, he averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while serving as a primary perimeter scoring option. His shooting set a new Pistons franchise record for made three-pointers in a single season, surpassing the previous mark set by Saddiq Bey.
Beasley posted signature performances throughout the year, including a 36-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers and a clutch 22-point showing against the New York Knicks that featured the game-clinching three-pointers. His consistent production and elite shooting efficiency earned him a runner-up finish in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, recognizing his impact as a reserve scorer.
Following the regular season, Beasley helped guide the Pistons into the playoffs, where the team faced the New York Knicks in the first round. The series ended with a 113–116 Game 6 loss in Detroit, ending the Pistons’ season. On June 29, 2025, the United States Attorney’s office announced that Beasley was under investigation for gambling and placing prop bets on NBA games, a development that casts uncertainty over his near-term professional outlook.