If there is an early success story for the 2009-10 season in the area of a young player adjusting quickly and comfortably to the NBA, it probably is that of Blake Griffin, the No. 1 overall pick of the Los Angeles Clippers. It might seem odd to declare that now, since he suffered a broken kneecap and will miss six weeks. But Griffin was universally regarded as not only the best player in the draft, but also one of its finest citizens. If anyone can overcome the slow start, he can.

“For me, it’s about being in the right state of mind,” said Griffin, who played two years at Oklahoma before entering the NBA draft. “It’s about understanding that I’ve been blessed with this situation. You have to take advantage of it, but don’t overdo it either. When I was a freshman, I felt I was ready for the NBA, but also felt I would be more prepared if I stayed another year. After another year I felt that much more prepared, both physically and mentally.”

Griffin credits his parents for raising him right, and lamented that he won’t be able to jump in a car and drive an hour away to visit them, like he could while in college. He explained that part of the trick of being on his own and making his way in the NBA world is choosing friends.

“You definitely have to be careful about it,” Griffin said. “It’s not a great thing to have to do, to pick and choose. But you have to. If you get to know somebody, it’s easy to learn their true intentions and what kind of people they are. You have to choose wisely.”

Bantom said part of the NBA’s emphasis for young players is to use sound judgment when making friends.

“We’ll tell a player to be careful who he chooses as friends and who he chooses to keep in his life,” he said. “It’s hard to tell someone who grew up with friends not to associate with them any longer, and in fact, sometimes those people are very good for them. But if someone is dragging them down, we tell them to take a long, hard look.”

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Meanwhile, Beasley is back in the bosom of the Miami Heat, joking with teammates and hoping to build upon an inconsistent rookie season in which he averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 24.8 minutes over 81 games. His father, Michael Beasley Sr., said although the numbers are solid, they don’t tell the whole story.

“I think it (the NBA life) wasn’t as easy as he expected,” Beasley Sr. said. “It wasn’t like playing ball in college. The difference between college basketball and professional basketball is that you get paid in the NBA, and it’s not as much fun as it was when you used to play for the love of the game.”

Beasley Sr. said he is confident his son will be able to put the missteps behind him and have a productive career, and he gives the Heat some of the credit.

“They were surprisingly supportive,” he said. “I applaud them for standing by him with what he’s been going through. Most teams turn their back on a player, like what happened with Plaxico Burress (of the NFL’s New York Giants).

“But they stuck by him, so now it’s time for him to show that he can be the player everybody knows he can be.”

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