The $251 million supermax contract that became NBA infamy
In short: Bradley Beal’s career is a study in extreme highs and devastating lows. From a 60-point explosion to a season-ending injury just six games into 2025, the 'Big Panda' has navigated the highest peaks of scoring and the lowest depths of physical struggle.
Bradley Beal's ascent was meteoric. After a dominant high school career in Missouri, where he was named the 2011 Gatorade National Player of the Year, he moved to the University of Florida. There, under coach Billy Donovan, he earned SEC All-Freshman honors before declaring for the NBA draft on April 13, 2012. On his 19th birthday, June 28, 2012, he was selected third overall by the Washington Wizards.
His tenure in Washington was defined by historic scoring and massive financial stakes. Beal became the franchise's second all-time leading scorer, once averaging 31.3 points per game in the 2020–21 season—a franchise record. He reached milestones with unprecedented speed, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to reach 700 and 900 three-pointers. However, his five-year, $251 million supermax contract, which included a no-trade clause, gained notoriety as one of the most controversial deals in league history.
Yet, this brilliance has been frequently interrupted by injury. His career has been a cycle of recovery, from a 2014 wrist fracture to a 2015–16 season where he played a career-low 55 games. Even after a high-profile trade to the Phoenix Suns in 2023 to join Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the struggle persisted. By the 2025–26 season, a season-ending injury occurred just six games into the campaign, mirroring the physical setbacks that have shadowed his legendary scoring output.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Bradley Beal
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