KSU coach Martin lauds Beasley
Frank Martin finished his day of summer basketball camp Monday by hopping on a plane and flying to Lincoln for a meet-and-greet with Kansas State fans.
“I love this. It’s what’s K-State’s all about,” said Martin, the KSU men’s basketball coach. “Any time you can get out and talk to all the K-State people, it’s a great time.”
Even after a day with campers?
“Well, you know, it’s part of my job,” Martin said.
So, too, is luring big-time recruits to Manhattan and winning basketball games. Martin has succeeded at both.
In his first season as head coach, Martin led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament win in 20 years with help from a player expected to be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in this month’s NBA Draft.
Martin, speaking to a reporter before addressing nearly 100 members of the “Nebraskans 4 K-State” club, said he’s happy Michael Beasley will soon be rewarded and compensated for his great play.
Martin, though, isn’t so happy with various reports — in magazines and newspapers, and on Internet sites — of alleged “character issues” that supposedly will keep Beasley from being the No. 1 pick.
“It’s frustrating when people put out the words ‘character issues,’ and yet they don’t validate it with any facts,” Martin said.
“All I know is this: If you speak to anybody — and I mean anybody — that he has had any kind of relationship with, be it teacher or coach or teammate, you’ll never find anyone say a negative word about him.”
That goes for Doc Sadler, too. The Nebraska coach was around Beasley last summer at the U.S. Under-19 National Team Trials.
“Good guy,” Sadler said before a game last season against Kansas State. “He was not a person who was full of himself. Teammates liked him, a jokester-type guy.”
Martin suspects the fact Beasley transferred multiple times while in high school is, in part, fueling the “character issue” reports.
“But that’s today’s culture,” he said. “Kids are going to change schools. I was a school teacher; I know that firsthand.
“It’s available for people to do, and it’s unfortunate.”
Martin then further defended the 19-year-old Beasley, who in his one season with Kansas State averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds and led the Wildcats to a first-round NCAA Tournament win against Southern California in Omaha.
“He’s unbelievable,” Martin said. “He’s got as embracing a personality as anybody — not just a player — anybody I’ve ever been around.
“And in 23 years, he is the best teammate I’ve ever been around.”
Another K-State player, Bill Walker, has until June 16 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, if he so chooses.
“We’ll see what happens in the next week or so,” Martin said. “He’s going to pursue it until the very end.”
Martin wouldn’t give a percentage of the chances that Walker remains in the draft.
“I don’t know if I’d want to put a number next to it,” Martin said, “but he’s done so well in all the workouts he’s had, that I’ll be very surprised if he’s not a first-round pick.”
Briefly
n Martin said he understood and supported David Hoskins’ recent decision to end his K-State career and focus on playing professionally overseas. “I fully understand,” Martin said. “It’s one of those deals where I hoped for the best and expected the worst.” Hoskins, who’s had four knee surgeries and sat out what would’ve been his senior year last season, would’ve needed to apply for a medical hardship. He’d redshirted in junior college.
n Martin said he’s in favor of playing scrimmages instead of exhibition games, something Sadler is considering doing this season at Nebraska. K-State played Marquette in a November scrimmage last year. “I think it’s a phenomenal, phenomenal thing,” Martin said. “It’s kind of a controlled atmosphere where you can actually coach on the court, just like it was a practice, and yet play high-level competition.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
“I love this. It’s what’s K-State’s all about,” said Martin, the KSU men’s basketball coach. “Any time you can get out and talk to all the K-State people, it’s a great time.”
Even after a day with campers?
“Well, you know, it’s part of my job,” Martin said.
So, too, is luring big-time recruits to Manhattan and winning basketball games. Martin has succeeded at both.
In his first season as head coach, Martin led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament win in 20 years with help from a player expected to be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in this month’s NBA Draft.
Martin, speaking to a reporter before addressing nearly 100 members of the “Nebraskans 4 K-State” club, said he’s happy Michael Beasley will soon be rewarded and compensated for his great play.
Martin, though, isn’t so happy with various reports — in magazines and newspapers, and on Internet sites — of alleged “character issues” that supposedly will keep Beasley from being the No. 1 pick.
“It’s frustrating when people put out the words ‘character issues,’ and yet they don’t validate it with any facts,” Martin said.
“All I know is this: If you speak to anybody — and I mean anybody — that he has had any kind of relationship with, be it teacher or coach or teammate, you’ll never find anyone say a negative word about him.”
That goes for Doc Sadler, too. The Nebraska coach was around Beasley last summer at the U.S. Under-19 National Team Trials.
“Good guy,” Sadler said before a game last season against Kansas State. “He was not a person who was full of himself. Teammates liked him, a jokester-type guy.”
Martin suspects the fact Beasley transferred multiple times while in high school is, in part, fueling the “character issue” reports.
“But that’s today’s culture,” he said. “Kids are going to change schools. I was a school teacher; I know that firsthand.
“It’s available for people to do, and it’s unfortunate.”
Martin then further defended the 19-year-old Beasley, who in his one season with Kansas State averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds and led the Wildcats to a first-round NCAA Tournament win against Southern California in Omaha.
“He’s unbelievable,” Martin said. “He’s got as embracing a personality as anybody — not just a player — anybody I’ve ever been around.
“And in 23 years, he is the best teammate I’ve ever been around.”
Another K-State player, Bill Walker, has until June 16 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, if he so chooses.
“We’ll see what happens in the next week or so,” Martin said. “He’s going to pursue it until the very end.”
Martin wouldn’t give a percentage of the chances that Walker remains in the draft.
“I don’t know if I’d want to put a number next to it,” Martin said, “but he’s done so well in all the workouts he’s had, that I’ll be very surprised if he’s not a first-round pick.”
Briefly
n Martin said he understood and supported David Hoskins’ recent decision to end his K-State career and focus on playing professionally overseas. “I fully understand,” Martin said. “It’s one of those deals where I hoped for the best and expected the worst.” Hoskins, who’s had four knee surgeries and sat out what would’ve been his senior year last season, would’ve needed to apply for a medical hardship. He’d redshirted in junior college.
n Martin said he’s in favor of playing scrimmages instead of exhibition games, something Sadler is considering doing this season at Nebraska. K-State played Marquette in a November scrimmage last year. “I think it’s a phenomenal, phenomenal thing,” Martin said. “It’s kind of a controlled atmosphere where you can actually coach on the court, just like it was a practice, and yet play high-level competition.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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