MarJon Beauchamp’s Different Path to the NBA

The Seattle, Washington area has produced quite a few NBA players. Names like Jamal Crawford, Brandon Roy, Isaiah Thomas, and Jason Terry certainly ring a bell. But there’s a new name hoping to etch his name into that pantheon, MarJon Beauchamp.

A senior in high school this year, Beauchamp made headlines over the summer when he announced that following this season, rather than play college basketball, he was going to work out and train in preparation for the 2021 NBA draft.

It’s a path that was actually done recently by Darius Bazley. Although a bit different since Bazley was originally committed to Syracuse, he later backed out of his commitment and spent all of last season training. He was ultimately selected by the Utah Jazz with the 23rd overall pick in last summer’s draft before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Beauchamp will be working out with famed trainer Frank Matrisciano who has worked with a few NBA players. He’ll participate in a new program titled ‘Chameleon BX’ where he’ll also get tutelage from former NBA coaches. It’s a decision he feels was best for his future goals.

“I just thought the route I’m going is just the best route for me,” Beauchamp told Ridiculous Upside. “Getting stronger and having NBA coaches coach me the whole year, it would get me more prepared than college would.”

Before he announced his decision to bypass college, Beauchamp was a highly-sought-after college recruit. He had offers from several Division 1 schools including Arizona, Arizona State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Eastern Washington, Florida State, Marquette, Montana, Oregon State, Seattle, Washington, and Washington State.

He’s a versatile player who can do a little bit of everything on the court. He’s capable of playing both guard positions at times, and he can play up at small forward and even some power forward in some small-ball lineups. His overall skill-set is well-suited for today’s game.

“I would describe my game as a combo guard,” Beauchamp said. “I can get my players open, make others better, play good defense, guard the other team’s best player and try to shut him down every game. I just bring that energy.”

Beauchamp has spent most of his high school career in the Seattle area. As a freshman, he played for Brandon Roy at Nathan Hale on a WA state championship team that also featured Michael Porter Jr. As a sophomore, he followed Roy to Garfield, winning another state championship.

His breakout year, however, came as a junior at Rainer Beach where he put up 26 points per game, 11 rebounds, and five assists. This season, he made the decision to head to Arizona and join Dream City Christian.

Dream City has built something of a powerhouse this season. In addition to Beauchamp, the team also features Arthur Kaluma, Jhaylon Martinez, Jalin Anderson, Marko Milivojevic, and Alex Tchikou. Martinez is committed to UNLV and Anderson to UC Riverside, with the rest all on Division 1 radars.

Last month in a preseason game, Dream City walked into Sierra Canyon’s gym and came away with an impressive win over the Trailblazers. With the season just getting underway, Beauchamp has been impressed with what he’s seen so far from this group.

“We’re still working on it, it’s not perfect but it’s good,” Beauchamp said. “I love these guys, they’re like my brothers, and we’re just going to keep working.”

A player’s work is never finished. There is always something to improve upon, especially with young players. The same holds true for Beauchamp. Although he is a very talented guard, he is still a little slight, and will probably need to bulk up a bit for the next level.

Getting stronger is something he’s identified and is determined to work on, as well as being more decisive on the court. He credits his father for playing a big role in instilling a strong work ethic when it comes to basketball.

“Just getting stronger. Knowing when to do something and not be hesitant, I think I can work on that,” Beauchamp said. “It’s having a high IQ. I was trained early to have a high IQ by my dad.”

And with this being his last year of high school basketball, he wants to make this season a memorable one.

“I just want to have fun,” Beauchamp said. “This is my last year, so I want to try to get a national championship at the end of Grind Session that’s one big goal. Just have fun and get ready for June.”