“Bet On Myself, I Bet That We Would Win”: Amid Gambling Allegations, Malik Beasley’s Final Bucks Interview Resurfaces

The NBA community was rocked this morning by the controversy surrounding Malik Beasley. In case you missed it, the veteran guard is under investigation for allegedly betting on games last season. Now, just hours after the news broke, an eerie clip has resurfaced from his final interview with the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is a serious case facing Beasley and his legal team. The U.S. District Attorney’s Office is investigating him over allegations of gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023–24 season while he was with the Bucks. It’s part of a broader issue that has plagued the league — and professional sports in general — since the rise of online gambling in recent years.

At this point, it’s important to remember that Beasley is still innocent until proven guilty. However, as soon as the news broke, the internet began digging for anything that might link him to the allegations. And what they found doesn’t reflect well on Beasley at all.

“I came here for a championship. I bet on myself, I bet that we would win, and we just came up short,” Beasley told the media after Milwaukee’s exit in the playoffs in 2024. Given that he’s now under investigation, those comments come off as pretty suspicious, especially considering he made them just a year ago. What a poor choice of words. They’re definitely not going to help his case if this goes to court.

What’s even more unfortunate for Beasley is that this incident lines up with other examples that have recently come to light. A U.S. sportsbook reportedly flagged unusually high betting activity around Malik Beasley props in January 2024.

And if he’s ultimately found guilty, it raises a bigger question: how long has the nine-year veteran been getting away with this? One NBA fan on Twitter resurfaced a 2021 clip from his time with the Timberwolves, showing him scoring with just 0.4 seconds left in a game that was already out of reach. The basket cut the lead from 9 to 7. But the Wolves needed 8.5 to cover the spread. Suspicious? Absolutely.

This past season, Beasley had a career year with the Detroit Pistons. He shot a career-high 41% from three-point range while attempting 9.3 shots from deep per game. He was reportedly in talks for a new contract with the Pistons, and according to Shams Charania, was set to earn $42 million over the next three years. But all of that has now been put on hold. Once again, it’s important to note that Beasley has not been proven guilty, and his attorney has emphasized that point.

“An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now, he has not been charged with anything,” Beasley’s lawyer told Charania.

Maybe he’s still innocent for now, but things aren’t looking good for Beasley. Between the resurfaced comments and the old clip suggesting he may have been trying to cover a bet, the evidence is starting to pile up. And it’s a shame because Beasley was finally about to be rightfully compensated for the grind of a career he’s had so far.

Heading into what would’ve been his tenth NBA season, Beasley has already played for six different teams. His longest stint came during his rookie contract with the Denver Nuggets, where he stayed for four seasons. Since then, it’s been a series of short stops. It looked like he might’ve finally found a long-term home, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Good luck, Mr. Beasley, you’re going to need it.