Bradley Beal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bradley Beal

Beal with the Washington Wizards in 2022
No. 3 – Phoenix Suns
Shooting guard / small forward
Personal information
Born	(1993-06-28) June 28, 1993 (age 31) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
High school	Chaminade (Creve Coeur, Missouri)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
College	Florida (2011–2012)
NBA Draft	2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Washington Wizards
Pro career	2012–present
League	NBA
Career history
2012–2023	Washington Wizards
2023–present	Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021) All-NBA Third Team (2021) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2013) First-team All-SEC (2012) Gatorade National Player of the Year (2011) First-team Parade All-American (2011) McDonald's All-American (2011) Mr. Show-Me Basketball (2011) FIBA Under-17 World Cup MVP (2010)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA World U17 Championship Gold 2010 Hamburg National team FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold 2009 Argentina National team

Bradley Emmanuel Beal Sr. (born June 28, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Florida Gators. The Washington Wizards picked him third overall in the 2012 NBA draft. During his eleven seasons with the Wizards, he became an All-Rookie First Team member in 2013. He was also named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2021 and was a three-time All-Star. Beal is the second highest scorer in the Wizards' history.

Early Life and High School Success

Bradley Beal grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and went to Chaminade College Preparatory School. He was a top basketball player from a young age.

Winning Gold with Team USA

In 2010, Bradley played for the U.S. team in the FIBA Under-17 World Championship. His team won the championship! He was amazing in the tournament, scoring about 18 points per game. He was even named to the All-Tournament Team and won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

High School Star

During his last year of high school, Beal was a scoring machine. He averaged 32.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Because of his great performance, he received two big awards in 2011:

• The Mr. Show-Me Basketball award, which means he was the best high school player in Missouri.
• The Gatorade National Player of the Year award, recognizing him as the top high school basketball player in the entire country.

College Career at Florida

On November 30, 2009, Bradley Beal decided to play college basketball for the University of Florida. He received a scholarship and joined coach Billy Donovan's Gators team for the 2011–12 season.

Freshman Year Highlights

In his very first game for Florida, Beal started and scored 14 points. He quickly showed how talented he was. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Week multiple times. In one week, he averaged 18.5 points and seven rebounds in two wins.

By the end of the season, Beal was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and was a first-team All-SEC player. He averaged 14.8 points per game. He also helped his team reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, which is a big achievement, before they lost to Louisville.

Professional Career in the NBA

Washington Wizards (2012–2023)

Starting Strong: All-Rookie Honors (2012–2013)

After just one year in college, Bradley Beal decided to enter the NBA draft on April 13, 2012. On his 19th birthday, June 28, 2012, the Washington Wizards picked him as the third overall player in the 2012 NBA draft.

Beal playing against the New York Knicks in 2013

Beal quickly made an impact. He was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December 2012 and January 2013. In a game against the Brooklyn Nets, he scored a career-high 24 points and hit a clutch three-pointer to force double overtime. He also set a career best with six three-pointers in a game against the Sacramento Kings. He was chosen to play in the Rising Stars competition during the 2013 All-Star weekend.

Unfortunately, Beal missed the end of his rookie season due to a leg injury. Still, he played 56 games and was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team. He finished third in voting for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

First Playoff Appearance (2013–2014)

In his second season, Beal continued to improve. He scored a career-high 37 points in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He also competed in the Three-Point Shootout at the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend. He was the youngest player ever to compete in that event!

On April 29, 2014, Beal and the Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. This was a big deal, as the team hadn't reached the second round since 2005. They later lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

Dealing with Injuries (2014–2016)

Beal playing against the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014

Beal faced some injuries in the next couple of seasons. In October 2014, he had surgery on his left wrist and missed the first nine games. He returned in November and scored 21 points in his first game back. In December, he hit a game-winning shot with just 0.8 seconds left to beat the Orlando Magic.

In February 2015, he injured his right big toe and missed eight games. He returned later that month. In the playoffs, he scored a playoff career-high 28 points against the Atlanta Hawks, even though he sprained his ankle during the game. He later set a new playoff career high with 34 points in Game 4 of that series. The Wizards lost the series in six games.

The 2015–16 season was also affected by injuries. He missed games due to a shoulder injury, a lower right leg injury, and a sprained pelvis. He played in a career-low 55 games but still managed to average a career-high 17.4 points per game.

Breakthrough Season (2016–2017)

Beal playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017

On July 26, 2016, Beal signed a new contract with the Wizards. This season was a big one for him. On November 21, he scored a career-high 42 points against the Phoenix Suns. He also set a career-high with seven three-pointers in a game against the Sacramento Kings.

By December 16, he had made 501 career three-pointers, becoming only the third Wizards player to reach 500. He had several games where he scored over 40 points, including 41 points against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On March 29, 2017, Beal broke the Wizards' record for most three-pointers in a single season. He made five against the Clippers, bringing his total to 209 for the season. He joined Kevin Durant and Vince Carter as one of only three NBA players under 23 years old to average at least 23 points and shoot over 40% from three-point range.

In the playoffs, Beal helped the Wizards force a Game 7 in their series against the Boston Celtics by scoring 33 points in Game 6. In Game 7, he led the Wizards with 38 points, but they lost the game and the series.

First All-Star Selection (2017–2018)

The 2017–18 season brought more milestones for Beal. On November 20, 2017, he became the youngest player in NBA history to make 700 three-pointers. On December 5, 2017, he scored a new career-high of 51 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, making 21 field goals.

He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in December. On January 23, 2018, Bradley Beal was selected as an NBA All-Star for the very first time! He continued to have strong performances, including a 41-point game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In the playoffs, Beal helped the Wizards tie their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors at 2-2 with a 31-point game. Despite his 32 points in Game 6, the Wizards lost the series.

Missing the Playoffs (2018–2020)

Beal in 2018

On October 20, 2018, Beal broke the Wizards' franchise record for most career three-pointers, passing Gilbert Arenas. He continued to set records, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to reach 900 three-pointers in November.

On December 22, he achieved his first career triple-double (scoring in double digits in three different categories) with 40 points, a career-high 15 assists, and 11 rebounds in a triple-overtime win against the Phoenix Suns. He had another triple-double in January, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with multiple games of 40 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds in a season.

Beal had an amazing scoring streak in February 2020, averaging 36.2 points per game, which was the highest in the league. On February 23, he scored a career-high 53 points against the Chicago Bulls. The very next day, he broke that record again with 55 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was the first player since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to score 50 points on two nights in a row!

The NBA season was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Beal was averaging 30.5 points per game, second only to James Harden. He later decided not to play in the NBA restart due to a shoulder injury.

All-NBA Selection and Surgery (2020–2022)

Beal in 2020

On January 6, 2021, Beal scored a career-high 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers. This tied Gilbert Arenas' Wizards franchise record for the most points scored in a single game. He started the 2020–21 season by scoring at least 25 points in 17 straight games, a record for starting a season since 1976–77.

On February 18, Beal was chosen to start in his third All-Star Game, joining his childhood friend Jayson Tatum. Even though the Wizards had a tough start to the season, Beal helped lead them on a strong run to make the playoffs. They won a play-in tournament game against the Indiana Pacers to secure the final playoff spot. Beal also earned his first All-NBA selection, being named to the All-NBA Third Team.

In February 2022, Beal had surgery on his left wrist, which ended his season. He played 40 games that season and averaged a career-high 6.6 assists per game.

New Contract and Trade (2022–2023)

In June 2022, Beal signed a new 5-year contract with the Wizards. He continued to play well, scoring a season-high 37 points against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2023.

However, heading into the 2023 offseason, Beal and the Wizards decided it was time for him to move to a new team.

Phoenix Suns (2023–present)

On June 24, 2023, Bradley Beal was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He joined the Suns along with Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd. In return, the Wizards received several draft picks and players like Landry Shamet and Chris Paul.

Beal made his debut with the Suns on November 8, 2023, after missing the first few games due to a back injury. He scored 13 points in a close overtime win against the Chicago Bulls. On January 11, 2024, he scored 37 points and made 8 three-pointers in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

On February 4, 2024, Beal returned to Washington to play against his former team. He had an amazing game, scoring a season-high 43 points in a big win over the Wizards. He helped the Suns secure a playoff spot at the end of the season. However, they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the 2024–25 season, the Suns decided to have Beal come off the bench for some games. In his first game off the bench in nine years, he scored 25 points, helping Phoenix end a four-game losing streak.

National Team Career

Bradley Beal was chosen to play for the U.S. Olympic team for the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After playing in three practice games, he had to withdraw from the Olympics because he tested positive for the coronavirus. Beal has said he would be interested in joining the 2024 U.S. Olympic team if asked.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Beal holding his son Deuce in 2019

Bradley Beal is married to Kamiah Adams. They have three sons together: Bradley "Deuce" Beal II (born 2018), Braylen Beal (born 2019), and Braxton Beal (born 2022). The couple got married in 2020, but their wedding ceremony was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bradley's parents are Bobby and Besta Beal. He has four brothers: Brandon, Bruce, Byron, and Bryon. All of his brothers played college football.

Interestingly, the famous rapper Nelly, who is a family friend, used to walk Bradley to school. Also, when Bradley was a teenager, he used to babysit future Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. They became close friends, and Bradley was a mentor to Tatum, who also grew up in St. Louis.

Bradley Beal considers himself a "nerd." He had a 4.0 GPA in high school and studied biology in college, planning to go into pre-med.

Images for kids

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  Beal with the Washington Wizards in 2022

See also

In Spanish: Bradley Beal para niños