Beal touched by draft prospects saying they look up to him originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
WASHINGTON — It has become increasingly common for NBA Draft prospects to say in one way or another that they look up to Wizards star Bradley Beal.
Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe said during his pre-draft press conference Beal is one of the NBA players he models his game after. Jaden Hardy of G-League Ignite does the same, saying after his pre-draft workout with the Wizards that he “[watches] a lot of film on Brad.”
“Being able to come here and be where he’s playing at right now, I feel like that’s exciting just knowing that he’s here,” Hardy added.
Shareef O’Neal said his AAU team (coached by his father, Shaq) used to play against Beal’s Brad Beal Elite squad, which he coaches. The two caught up at the Wizards facility when he was there for a workout last week.
“Bradley’s been my boy. He’s seen me since I was in high school. He’s real cool and I love his game,” O’Neal said.
Comments such as those are noticed by Beal. He pays attention to what is said about him, and when he hears that type of respect coming from young basketball players, it reminds him of where he came from.
“It’s surreal. It’s really surreal because I was those kids looking up to pro players and looking up to guys that I watched play,” he told NBC Sports Washington.
“I never would have imagined that kids would say I’m their favorite player or that they would model their game after me. Like, what?”
Beal knows firsthand how no professional athlete these days has a 100% approval rating. Maybe it’s a product of social media or morning debate shows that thrive off negative opinions, but he has his fair share of detractors.
It comes with the territory, but at the end of the day he is also one of the best scorers in the NBA and won the league’s Community Assist Award for his charity work in 2019. Hearing how much NBA Draft prospects respect him helps him keep that in perspective.
“That speaks volumes and that kind of puts me at ease a lot of times because I am tough on myself. I do hear critics and stuff like that. So, it kind of makes me sit back and think ‘you know what, maybe I am doing something right, maybe I’m not as bad as people may think or whatever is out there.’ I take that really on the chin. That’s really a big compliment to hear from young, up-and-coming guys who are the future of the league,” he said.
Beal gave those comments to NBC Sports Washington while at a charity event in D.C. He and the Hoop For All foundation unveiled refurbished outdoor basketball courts at Banneker Recreation Center in the shadow of Howard University.
Beal took the ‘first shot’ and as he did, some young bystanders heckled him a bit. One yelled “brick!”
Beal, though, can take solace in what the next generation of NBA players is saying. He’s made an impact on the game and they are taking notice.
