Patrick Beverley has always had a chip on his shoulder. No matter the circumstance, he has always had something to pull out of his bag of slights, perceived or otherwise, to serve as motivation for him to do his best. The mindset was there when he played for two high schools while growing up in Chicago, there when he suited up for the Diamondbacks in college, there when he had to go overseas after being cut by the Heat — which acquired him from the Lakers — prior to the start of the 2009-10 regular campaign, and there again the next season when he had no room in a roster that included new arrival LeBron James.
It was, therefore, no surprise to see Beverley circle the two remaining regular season matches of the Bulls against the Lakers on his calendar. The latter dealt him earlier this month, and after being bought out by the Magic, he set out to ink a contract with his hometown National Basketball Association franchise. And, lo and behold, he took no time underscoring his intent to “knock [the purple and gold] out of the playoffs.”
It’s no secret that Beverley has a predisposition to hold grudges against those he deemed to have done him wrong. For instance, he still gets worked up for games against the Clippers, and there remains no love lost between him and Chris Paul. Of course, he somehow also managed to set aside his enmity against James and Russell Westbrook when the Lakers took him in at the start of the season. Which is to say nothing is etched in stone, even for him.
In any case, Beverley’s change of address has prompted him to add to his list of enemies. He’s not even hiding the fact. If anything, he’s proud of it, using his podcast to declare his target to ensure that the Lakers get another early vacation. Whether he will succeed in doing so is subject to debate. His numbers have been far from glowing of late; his stint in La-La Land coincided with the worst Player Efficiency Rating of his career. On thing’s clear, though: He won’t stop believing in himself.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
