The league has another black eye. Malik Beasley, a journeyman who once went in the first round to Denver back in 2016, is the latest target of a federal grand jury. The charge? A sports betting scheme. We are talking point shaving and dirty prop bets. His lawyer, Steve Haney, spilled the beans to ESPN, confirming the indictment. Beasley plans to turn himself in this week.
It is a spectacular fall. Just last season, Beasley was wearing a Detroit Pistons jersey. Before that, he was chasing paychecks in Puerto Rico. Now, he is facing federal prosecutors. The feds allege he wasn’t just betting; he was actively rigging the game. Point shaving is the ultimate sin in professional sports. It ruins the illusion.
This isn’t a solo act. The NBA and MLB are already drowning in scandals involving players leaking inside info and throwing games for a quick buck. The integrity of the game is a myth sold to fans. Meanwhile, the NFL sits back, sweating, waiting for its own shoe to drop. For now, football is clean. Or just better at hiding it.
