Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal Wades in the Water

Bradley Beal doesn’t want to just be an All-Star, he’s ready to become a superstar in this league. The guard sat down with Chris Miller for a candid interview, ranging from his Washington Wizards, fatherhood, education and Colin Kaepernick.

Bradley Beal had a breakout year last season. Becoming an All-Star seemed almost secondary to showcasing his leadership skills of the Washington Wizards.

In a recent interview with Chris Miller of NBCSports Washington, the new father tackled a variety of topics on the Wizards Talk podcast.

It’s definitely worth a listen. Mr. Miller informs the listener, that although these interviews will be centered around basketball, it will also include “things that go around it”, such as pop culture.

In fact, it just sounded like two people having a conversation in a living room. Beal is the first guest of the retooled pod.

Let’s get to it.

Paging Dr. Beal

Beal plans on completing his college degree.

A little-known fact is that he was premed at the University of Florida. Although, Beal isn’t quite sure that he will resume his path to become a doctor, he still wants to do something involved in medicine.

Here’s a player who used to be injury prone, and at some point, he could be taking care of other players in sports medicine. Or something along those lines.

Returning to school is something that Beal promised his parents and himself. He plans on resuming courses next summer.

NFL and Fatherhood

Although, I don’t write about player’s personal lives, Beal discussed becoming a father over the summer. How that changed him and how he’s also worried about the changing world.

There were funny anecdotes about his son. Such that “Deuce” sleeps during the day and is awake at night.

At this point, I could just see coach Scott Brooks saying, “I could find five people to come out and play”. Beal would probably look over to the stroller and say “are you up?”

However, the topic changed.

Miller: “You are one of the more socially conscious young men that I have met in this league at a young age. You’re a part of the Nike family. I want to get your reaction to the Colin Kaepernick.”

Beal commends Nike and Kap. Because Kap lost his job for something he stood up for and he respects him.

Beal is happy that Nike chose “Kap” to be the face of their new campaign, and the “commercial was perfect”.

“We’re trying to send a message to our youth.” The world is transitioning, and we’re dealing with stuff that we shouldn’t be dealing with. It’s because of our comfort level.

We’re not comfortable talking about race or sexual misconduct.

We needed a bigger voice to get involved. The people with the biggest voice like LeBron James is branded by Nike.

Beal believes that it sends a beautiful message to the world.

While at the same time, he’s concerned about the conversation he will have to have with his son one day.

Miller: Does your perspective change now that you have a son?

Beal: I said this to someone the other day. “If the NBA was like the NFL, I would drop this basketball in a heartbeat and just take care of my son”.

The way the NFL and the union takes care of its players, the NBA is better. Once “Deuce” was born, his whole perspective on everything changed.

Throughout the interview, I was laughing, because Beal is actually funny.

However, it was a somber moment, when Beal said, that he has to worry about teaching his son about race.

(Guarding in the game of basketball, is much different from when you have to guard in life.)

So although these may be millionaire athletes, even though money shouldn’t enter the equation, they still have the same hopes and fears for their families.

The guard wants to return to college, because he knows there’s life after basketball. Yet, there appears to be some type of leadership in his future after he hangs up those Nikes.

Note: After the Kaepernick ad, Nike posted its highest share in the company’s history (Sept. 13, 2018).