Jason Whitlock

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At some point, we have to go back to allowing young people the opportunity to be kids, to mature and adjust at an appropriate pace.
Right now, they're crashing under the weight of expectations and adult-size responsibilities.
Michael Beasley always struck me as an overgrown kid who was asked to be a man long before he was ready.
His tale of depression and self-medication is quite common in professional athletics, where too many young men have been raised throughout their teens to play the role of father, husband and provider to an assortment of friends and family.