Heat take Kansas State's Beasley with No. 2 pick

Michael Beasley left his workout with the Miami Heat last week, telling confidants that he wanted to begin his NBA career learning from Pat Riley.

He's in line to get that opportunity.

The star Kansas State forward went to the Heat with the No. 2 selection in the NBA draft Thursday night, moments after the Chicago Bulls, as expected, took Memphis point guard Derrick Rose with the top pick.

So barring a trade, Beasley will line up alongside Dwyane Wade when the Heat begin their rebuilding project next season.

"We're here now," the 19-year-old Beasley said. "I'm happy with the decision that has been made and I'm just ready to get to Miami."

Beasley was expected to arrive in South Florida on Friday, when he'll be formally introduced as the highest Heat draft pick in team history. Most of the estimated 4,000 fans at the team's draft party stood and cheered when Beasley's name was announced; one young boy even wore a Heat jersey with "Beasley" stitched over the name of a former Miami player - Shaquille O'Neal.

"I don't think there was any question on our part," said Riley, the Heat president who retired as head coach after this past season. "We love Michael. He's an incredible athlete. He's a great scorer. I don't even want to get into talking with you about the numbers we've analyzed. They're really off the charts."

Beasley averaged 26.2 points and a Division I-best 12.4 rebounds in his lone season at Kansas State. The Heat were largely silent in the weeks leading up to the draft and worked out several other prospects, prompting speculation they simply weren't enthralled with Beasley.

Not even close. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra even called the Miami-doesn't-want-Beasley talk in recent days "a little humorous."

"In the last couple days, we felt very comfortable that if he was available we were very excited to take the pick," Spoelstra said.

Riley said his top personnel staff - general manager Randy Pfund, player personnel VP Chet Kammerer and director of college scouting Adam Simon - "got me in a room and made sure that Mr. Beasley was going to be part of the Miami Heat."

Riley said several teams asked about making trades with Miami in an effort to get the chance to draft Beasley, and one of those deals would have included a point guard and a center - two areas of need for the Heat.

But Riley declined the overtures.

"They were good players," Riley said. "But I think this kid's going to be a great player."

Beasley, according to the people around him, would be thrilled to be on South Beach for years to come.

"He can't wait to get going," said Bruce Shingler, who left his job on Kansas State's basketball staff to be Beasley's mentor for his first pro season.

Spoelstra insisted that the Heat drafted Beasley with a plan to keep him.

"Michael is definitely picked to play for the Heat," Spoelstra said.

Added Riley, who saw Beasley play in person three times this past season and interviewed him at least twice in recent weeks: "He's not in play."

Many observers tabbed Beasley as the top talent in college basketball last season. Listed at 6-foot-10 - but standing closer to 6-foot-8 - Beasley has both the power to finish around the basket and the finesse to step outside, meaning he could play either forward position for the Heat.

And clearly, Miami could use the help.

"We needed a lot of holes filled," Riley said. "And we still do."

They addressed one of those holes in the second round, obtaining the rights to Kansas guard Mario Chalmers - the most outstanding player at this year's Final Four - from Minnesota for two future second-round picks and cash. Chalmers was the 34th overall selection.

The Heat added yet another player from the Sunflower State with their own second-round selection, the 52nd overall, taking forward Darnell Jackson, who was the leading rebounder for the national champion Jayhawks. But he didn't stay with Miami for long; the Heat traded him early Friday to Cleveland for a second-round pick next year.

The Heat finished 15-67 this past season, matching the worst record in franchise history. It was an injury-marred season - Wade missed 31 games and he, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion, Alonzo Mourning and Dorell Wright all suffered season-ending maladies. Plus, when it became apparent that the postseason was out of Miami's reach, the team traded O'Neal to Phoenix, ushering in a new rebuilding era.

Beasley, apparently, now becomes the first step in Riley's master plan to turn the Heat around.

"He speaks so highly of Coach Riley," Shingler said. "And the reality of it is, like Coach Riley, Michael is a winner."