Miami Heat president Pat Riley has ruled South Beach with an iron fist. As an old-school coach and executive, Riley is strict and sometimes hard on his players, holding them to the highest standard of excellence.
However, tough as Riles was as a boss, he had a soft spot for former Heat number two overall pick Michael Beasley.
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During his recent appearance on the “All the Smoke” podcast, Beasley revealed how Riley treated him like one of his own children.
“I wasn’t ready for fu—ng Pat Riley. My first year, I got drafted when I was 19. I ain’t turn 20 until January. I wasn’t ready for him. And not in a bad way, like, man, Pat treated me like a son. You know how, like, ‘Come on, dad, don’t kiss me in front of the guys. ‘Dad, I don’t want to talk to you today,'” Beasley said.
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When the Heat drafted Beasley, Riley’s kids already went on their own
Riley and his wife, Chris, did not bear a child but adopted a son, James, and a daughter, Elisabeth, during their marriage. But by 2007, James and Elisabeth had grown up, moved out and were living on their own, leaving Pat and Chris with no more kids at home.
Curiously, the Heat selected Beasley in the 2008 NBA Draft, and somehow, he must have been to Riley the child he no longer had at home because Riley was drawn to his prized rookie.
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Meanwhile, Beasley was raised by a single mother. Not only did he not know what a father’s true love is, but he felt awkward with the special attention that Riley was giving him.
“He made me sit in his office every fu—ng week, whether I was listening or not. And I live by the morals he taught me. But it’s like, I was just 19. I was just 20. I was just…I had too much money for my age,” added Beasley.
Mike regretted not listening to Pat
Beasley signed a three-year, $14 million rookie deal with the Heat, with the third year being a team option. In a previous interview, he said that one of his first purchases was a six-bedroom mansion in Miami, which Riley was against because Pat wanted him to buy a modest two-bedroom condo for him and his mom, if she was in town.
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But Beasley insisted, and soon regretted not listening to Riles
“If I did it all over again, I would’ve listened to Pat Riley. Pat Riley told me to get a condo, get two bedrooms, one for my mom when she’s coming to town, and everybody else figure it out. I went the polar opposite and my excuse to him was I grew up in an apartment and I needed some space,” Beasley said.
Because he had a big house, he bought three dogs and invited four friends to live with him. That’s when his financial woes began.
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Later, he started getting into trouble and after only two seasons, he was traded to Minnesota.
Beasley then bounced around the league while failing to find a permanent home and also never realizing his full potential as a basketball player.
Perhaps if he had only listened to Riley early on, his NBA career could have unfolded differently.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.