Standing with Malik Beasley: A Wake-Up Call for Us All
EPIC’s Stevin ‘Hedake’ Smith puts his story of point-shaving at the heart of his presentations to collegiate and professional athletes around the world, so when news of a similar investigation into the Detroit Pistons’ shooting guard, Malik Beasley, came to light this week, he immediately resonated with the situation, as he explains for us here…
When I see headlines like the ones surrounding Malik Beasley, it doesn’t bring me judgment – it brings me pain. It brings me back to my own darkest days, when gambling stripped me of the game I loved and nearly took my future with it.
That’s why I’m not here to condemn Malik. I see a young man caught in the same web that nearly destroyed my life. And I feel a responsibility to speak – not to judge, but to support.
I know what this feels like because I lived it. I was once a college basketball star at Arizona State. I had the world at my feet – and I lost my dream to gambling. I made a decision that cost me my career, my reputation, and my freedom. But I wasn’t just an athlete who made a bad choice – I was a young man dealing with pressure, fear, and silence in a culture that didn’t want to talk about addiction or mental health.
Today, gambling is even more accessible and more normalized than it was in my time. 71% of U.S. adults now participate in some form of gambling. And among those who do, 46% actively engage in proposition bets – wagers on highly specific aspects of games. That’s the kind of betting cited in the reports surrounding Malik. When you combine that level of access with the stress and scrutiny pro athletes face, it’s no surprise some find themselves in dangerous territory.
What’s frustrating is how fast the world rushes to condemnation instead of conversation. We expect athletes to be superheroes, but we don’t give them the tools to navigate the traps that come with fame and fortune. They need guidance. They need education. And they need grace.
That’s why I feel blessed every day to work with EPIC Global Solutions. Through EPIC, I get to travel the world and speak directly to players, coaches, and leagues – sharing my story to warn others. I talk about the moment I hit rock bottom, the nights I couldn’t sleep, the years I spent rebuilding a life after one bad decision changed everything. And I also talk about hope – because with the right support, change is possible.
This is about more than Malik Beasley. It’s about every athlete – every young person – who might be one bad choice away from losing it all. The environment around sports betting has evolved faster than our safeguards. We need to catch up. That means more education, more prevention programs, and a real effort to normalize talking about gambling harm without stigma.
I’m not here to say Malik did or didn’t do what’s alleged. That’s for the investigations to sort out. What I’m here to say is that we need to treat these situations not as isolated incidents, but as warning signs. The system needs more than punishments – it needs protection.
Because no athlete should have to fall as far as I did just to finally get the help they need.
Let’s make sure Malik Beasley’s story can become a turning point – not a cautionary tale, but a catalyst for real change.
By Stevin ‘Hedake’ Smith
