{"id":782710,"date":"2023-07-26T12:08:24","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T16:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/?p=782710"},"modified":"2023-07-29T16:55:42","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T20:55:42","slug":"bradley-beal-slam-245","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/the-magazine\/bradley-beal-slam-245\/","title":{"rendered":"Bradley Beal’s Next Chapter: Phoenix’s New Star Opens Up About Getting Traded, His Legacy and Returning to His All-Star Form"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bradley Beal is spending Father\u2019s Day watching his son\u2019s baseball game, when suddenly his phone rings. It\u2019s his agent calling to tell him that he\u2019s been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Moving for the first time in his NBA career after 11 years in the city he and his family have called home, he now heads west to Arizona. But that\u2019s not what he\u2019s thinking about right now. When his agent asks him if he wants to push off breaking the news himself\u2014a deal that includes sending Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and multiple second round picks to the Wizards\u2014Beal refuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not missing this game,\u201d he says. \u201cIf it happens, it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happened next broke the internet. Insider tweets, push notifications and jersey swap graphics flooded social media. Another superteam shaking things up and with it came the inevitable question: Can the Suns\u2019 new Big Three of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker win a championship?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Beal first heard that the deal was in play, he had his own questions. \u201cI was like, Why are they trading Book? Like there\u2019s no way that this is happening,\u201d Beal says. \u201cLike, this can\u2019t be, this isn\u2019t right. But fast forward, he\u2019s here, I\u2019m here and Kevin\u2019s here and DA [Deandre Ayton]\u2019s here. It\u2019s surreal and crazy to think about how the deal even came to fruition, but it\u2019s done and I\u2019m in an awesome situation where I can compete every single night for a chance to win.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bradley Beal has arrived. SLAM 245 is out now, shop here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future can be exciting, but with it comes letting go of the past. For Beal, that meant saying goodbye to the city he and his family have lived in for the past decade and to the organization that drafted him as the third overall pick in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kid from St. Louis is now leaving as a 30-year-old man, a father and the second-ranked player on the Wizards\u2019 all time scoring list. \u201cIt definitely was an emotional time for sure throughout the whole transition of the trade,\u201d he admits. \u201cI\u2019ve been in DC for 11 years and that, that is, uh, a long time, and I\u2019ve established a lot of great bonds and relationships with people in the organization and in the city itself. It was definitely a lot of emotional ties [and] a tough decision to be able to walk away from it, but it was one that was necessary. It\u2019s a new chapter, you know. So I\u2019m excited for it, for both parties, for us, for me moving forward, and for Washington and them moving forward. It\u2019s bittersweet, but I\u2019m happy that I get to move forward into another opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beal turned up for his birthday in DC and then flew to Phoenix the next day for his introductory
press conference with his new team while his family stayed behind to pack and move all of their
belongings out of their home. He had just landed that morning when we met up with him at the Footprint Center for his first-ever SLAM cover shoot. There are screens all over the arena, including on the jumbotron and in the lounge where we\u2019re set up, with a picture of his face and the words, \u201cWELCOME BRADLEY BEAL.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt feels like I got drafted all over again,\u201d he says, wearing his Suns uniform for the first time. \u201cI got drafted on my birthday at the age of 19 in 2012. And then here you go, fast forward 11 years later, the age of 30. I\u2019m with a new team. It is definitely coming full circle. Feels surreal in some ways, but I\u2019m definitely excited for this new journey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There\u2019s a misconception about adulthood that by the time you\u2019re 30, you\u2019re supposed to have it all figured it out. NBA superstars aren\u2019t the exception to that\u2014they, too, have to deal with big life changes, career moves and saying goodbye to people they\u2019ve spent time with. For Beal, that meant his teammates, coaches and the Wizards ownership group. \u201cIt was tough to have those conversations [and say] goodbye, but it was also encouraging. Everybody gets a chance to continue to move forward\u2014some guys get bigger opportunities and bigger roles in DC, which [will] be great for them. And now I have a bigger and better opportunity in front of me, too.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He can\u2019t help but smile when he talks about how excited he is for what\u2019s next. The respect is already there between Beal and his new teammates: he knows what KD and D. Book are about on the court, having competed against them both over the years. But there are still a lot of questions lingering around how the Suns\u2019 Big Three can work together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beal has some thoughts on that, as well as where he wants to take his game next season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SLAM: Let\u2019s get right into it. A lot of people are wondering how so many offensive superstars can coexist. What\u2019s your perspective on that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bradley Beal:<\/strong> In terms of our balance, we\u2019ve talked subtly about how this thing can work. We know it won\u2019t be easy. It\u2019ll be a challenge, but the biggest thing is understanding [that our] one goal at the end of the day is winning. You know, we\u2019re all gonna have our own individual goals, but I think the beauty about our group is that we\u2019re so unselfish. And sometimes we might have to, like, yell at each other to shoot the ball or yell at each other to be aggressive because we have that mentality of deferring to the next man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I think it\u2019s gonna be very fun. It won\u2019t be easy. It\u2019ll be a work in progress, I think. You know, it\u2019s very hard to win in our League. I think a lot of people kind of think\u2014they see a team, Oh, they\u2019re gonna win. But, you know, we still have to figure it out. We still have to be blessed and be healthy throughout the year and make it work. But we\u2019ll be a challenge. I think we have a great group that\u2019s ready to fill their roles and accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: Have you had a chance to connect with your new teammates?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB: <\/strong>Yeah, my new teammates have been awesome. K [Kevin Durant], Book, D. Ayton, Cam [Cameron Payne], everybody\u2019s been unreal in this whole transition. This is all new for me, but I\u2019m embracing it, and these guys have all embraced me. It\u2019s like, I\u2019m ready to get to work, you know? This is definitely an awesome group of guys to be a part of. We\u2019re still building on our team, but it\u2019s been a joy so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: Do you guys have a group chat already?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB:<\/strong> Yes, we do have a group chat already that has [been] assembled. That started ASAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: What have the first texts been like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB:<\/strong> It\u2019s nothing wild. I think the first thing honestly was Book saying, like, Yo, let\u2019s go work out. That\u2019s what I would love to be a part of, man. I\u2019m just super excited to be around like-minded guys who wanna push each other each and every day\u2026To have that first text be, Let\u2019s get in the gym. I think that\u2019s a great message [for] the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SLAM: You and KD go way, way back, and you and Booker play the same position. Having competed against both of them for years, what were your first impressions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB: <\/strong>That they\u2019re very humble, and that\u2019s something I take [pride in]. I try to carry myself the same way, with humility at all times. We\u2019re given so much, we\u2019re looked at as role models and we\u2019re blessed. To be able to just be so down to earth like these guys and be selfless, that\u2019s what I wanna be around. That\u2019s what I wanna surround myself with. And like-minded guys on the floor who just want to go win. Whatever that looks like, whatever it takes, that\u2019s what they want to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: After averaging 23.2 points last season, what are your personal goals for the upcoming season?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB: <\/strong>Oh man, it\u2019s tough. I haven\u2019t really thought about my own goals yet, but I would say the biggest individual piece is getting back to being one of the best two-way players in the League. Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game. You know, playing in the playoffs, winning in the playoffs, advancing past rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granted, I wanna get back to my All-Star level of play. I really believe that that\u2019s who I am: All-NBA guy, All-Star guy. And I have a good group that can push me to be that every single day. So I\u2019m excited about that opportunity. I get to be around like-minded guys and guys who will push me to make sure that I\u2019m the best version of myself every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SLAM: Have you had a chance to talk to head coach Frank Vogel yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB:<\/strong> Yes, Coach Vogel is awesome. I\u2019ve had several instances of speaking with him. A brilliant mind in the game of basketball, NBA champion, defensive-minded coach. You know, I\u2019m definitely excited to be able to see where he\u2019ll take us, our team and where he\u2019ll push us to. I\u2019m definitely ecstatic with his knowledge of the game and his presence as a head coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: Looking back at your time in DC, do you have a favorite memory or defining moment that you\u2019ll carry with you into this next chapter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB:<\/strong> I had so many great memories and so many great moments in DC. It\u2019s really hard to pinpoint one. I think I\u2019m just grateful for all the bonds and the relationships I\u2019ve built. I think that\u2019s what I\u2019ll propel into my next chapter of life. I want this chapter to be more or less open and me not trying to control everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think we, as humans, sometimes try to control our lives a little too much. I want to just let this wave kind of take me where it wants to go and let God lead the way and enjoy it every step of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAM: What\u2019s the legacy you hope to leave after your 11 seasons in DC?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB:<\/strong> My biggest thing when it comes to legacy is always the impact I leave on people. You know, whether it\u2019s teammates, the community, my coaches, the organization as a whole, the people that you encounter on a day to day [basis].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just want, you know, my encounters to be great. I want you to remember me as just a great human being. I can be good at basketball. We\u2019re all good at basketball, but, you know, what kind of person was I? I don\u2019t want to be somebody who puts themselves above everybody else. So, I always try to say my interactions and my moments with people are always my biggest legacy. I want to leave lasting memories with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SLAM: With all the hype and attention on the Suns right now, what can we expect from the team next season? What type of time are y\u2019all on?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BB: <\/strong>Expect a very fun team to be playing in Arizona this year. The Phoenix Suns will be hungry. We\u2019ll be very aggressive, but it\u2019ll be a very fun style of play that every fan will love\u2014love to tune in to watch. So, we can\u2019t wait. We\u2019re excited. We have a lot of very talented guys, so we\u2019re excited about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SLAM 245 Gold Metal Edition + Cover Tee are available now!<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Portraits by Erik Isakson<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bradley Beal is spending Father\u2019s Day watching his son\u2019s baseball game, when suddenly his phone rings. It\u2019s his agent calling to tell him that he\u2019s been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Moving for the first time in his NBA career after 11 years in the city he and his family have called home, he now […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":424,"featured_media":782793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49435],"tags":[9469,62525,12990,119,65004,65012],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-782710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-magazine","tag-bradley-beal","tag-feature-1","tag-nba","tag-phoenix-suns","tag-slam-245","tag-suns"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/424"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=782710"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":782945,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782710\/revisions\/782945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/782793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=782710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=782710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=782710"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.slamonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=782710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}