By
Dear Michael Beasley,
I know that you signed a letter of intent to Kansas State, but I was thinking that since Bob Huggins decided to take a ‘Beilein’ to West Virginia that maybe you would consider coming to play for me at Louisville.
I watched you play for Notre Dame Prep Academy during your senior year, and I must say you have talent. I remember the game where you put up 64 points. I saw you grab 31 rebounds in a single game. When I saw you dish out 11 assists as a 6-foot-10 power forward I knew I wanted you like a pair of Gucci pinstripes.
Then you came to Louisville for your McDonald’s All American Game, and you can’t tell me that you couldn’t see yourself playing in front of sold-out crowds all of next year. I will run up and down the floor yelling at you and you will get to be on national television more than any other player in the country. The perks to being a Cardinal are endless.
Besides, I know that your ultimate goal is to make it to the NBA. You and I both know that I am the only coach that can get you there.
My stat sheet is just as impressive. Since 1990 I have produced 11 draft picks, eight of which were first round picks, and four of those lottery picks. I am confident that after a year in Louisville I will be able to add you to my resume as a fifth lottery pick.
Besides you’ll be joining a bunch of really fun and talented guys who all love basketball as much as you do. Our leading scorer, Terrence Williams, loves the game so much that he wears his jersey and carries a basketball around campus.
We also have a kid that they call “El Tigre,” I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I think I have that cologne. And ever since I sent Derrick Caracter to Camp Hope to get ‘Perkisized’ he has been showing a lot of potential!
Another perk is that we are one big family. Louisville basketball is like a fraternity, but a first class one. We get to live in Billy Minardi Hall, which is filled with big screen TVs, personal chefs, pool tables and a study room because we all hit the books hard.
And now Tom Jurich is building the Yum! Center, a new state of the art basketball training facility. We get to share it with the volleyball team, so it doubles as a singles bar for really, really tall people.
You will absolutely love the fans! They will wear shirts that say “The Killer Beaz.” Students will all whisper when they see you in line at Subway in the SAC. Trust me, you’ll get used to it.
Honestly, though, there are two main reasons I would love you to come here. First, can you imagine the look on UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart’s face when I bring in the No. 1 recruit in the country? He will look like he just popped three lemon Warheads.
Second, think of how great it would be to repay Bob ‘Huggy Bear’ Huggins for stabbing you in the back when we play him in Big East competition. Watching you light it up against his Mountaineers would probably send him back to rehab.
I know you’ll be back in Louisville for the Adidas Derby Festival Classic this weekend, so give me a call and we’ll do dinner.
Love,
Rick Pitino
