Malik Beasley: 5 Things To Know About NBA Star Pictured Holding Hands With Larsa Pippen

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Fans have been wondering who the mystery man was, who was photographed holding hands with Larsa Pippen, 46, at a mall in Miami on Nov. 23. He’s now been identified as Malik Beasley. The professional basketball player caused a stir when he was spotted during his trip to the mall with Larsa, since the former Real Housewives of Miami star had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier that month.

Malik, 24, who was born in Atlanta and is a resident of Minnesota, was invited to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ in-market bubble as a way to practice safely amid the coronavirus pandemic at the end of September (the Timberwolves were not one of the teams selected to restart the NBA’s 2020 season in July, however). Now, learn even more about Larsa’s shopping companion.

1. Malik is a shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After playing college basketball at Florida State University, Malik — born in 1996 — was drafted into the Denver Nuggets in 2016. He stayed with the team until Feb. 2020, when he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He agreed to resign with the team “on a four-year deal worth $60 million,” ESPN reported on Nov. 20, 2020.

2. The NBA star is married to model, rapper and YouTuber Montana Yao. The pair met in 2018, according to the bio on Montana’s website. Montana, 23, describes herself as a model and rapper, and reported that her rap videos have gained “over 10+ million views.” She was also a beauty pageant queen and was named Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016 (Montana was born in 1997). Right before Malik’s mall hangout with Larsa, Montana also launched a YouTube series called Its MY Life in the beginning of Oct. 2020, which included a video of her family photo shoot with Malik — you can watch it below.

After news broke that Malik was the man who was spotted out with Larsa, Montana shared a cryptic message on her Instagram Story. “Wow, I don’t even know this man…this is wild y’all…I’m seeing it for the first time just like y’all,” she wrote. She didn’t specifically reference the sighting of Malik and Larsa, but fans have been buzzing that she may be talking about the situation with her cryptic post.

3. Malik has a young son. The basketball star and his wife, Montana, welcomed a son named Makai Joseph Beasley on March 26, 2019.

4. In the wake of Malik’s photos with Larsa going public, Malik’s wife shared cryptic messages. Montana took to her Instagram Story at the beginning of Dec. 2020, a full week after her husband was spotted with Larsa, to share some interesting comments. First, the model/rapper shared photos with their son and wrote over them, “I got you,” followed by, “And you got me.” However, she may have been responding to the photographs of Malik with Larsa in a follow-up message: “I always and will forever remain true to who I am and GOD has never let me down [praising hands emoji] the truth always comes out one way or another…Appreciate all the love y’all for real.”

5. Malik was arrested two months before his mall trip with Larsa. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard was “charged with felony threats of violence and fifth-degree drug possession” related to an incident that happened on Sept. 26, 2020, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office reported. A family was reportedly house hunting amid a Parade of Homes tour and had stopped on the shoulder of the road in front of Malik and Montana’s home, according to the criminal complaints. Malik then allegedly “tapped” on the window of the family’ SUV, and was accused of pointing an assault rifle at at the passengers, whom Malik allegedly requested to leave his property that was roped off from the public.

The family put the car in drive again, but claimed Malik was still “pointing the rifle at them as they drove off.” Police were later sent to Malik and Montana’s home, where they reportedly found “three firearms, one matching the description of the assault rifle” and 835 grams of marijuana. Montana later claimed that she had bought all of the marijuana from a medical marijuana store. After being released from custody, Malik was due for a court hearing on Nov. 19. Montana was also charged with felony drug possession and is scheduled for a hearing on Dec. 29, 2020.

Due to these charges, Hennepin County’s Human Services and Public Health departments filed a petition, requesting that they put Malik and Montana’s infant son, Makai, under “court-ordered protection,” the Star Tribune reported (Makai is still with his parents, however). Malik was also accused of pointing a rifle “in the general direction” of his son in indoor video surveillance on the same day of the alleged confrontation with the family, according to the petition. HollywoodLife has reached out to Malik’s rep for comment, in addition to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Update 12/21/20: Malik entered a guilty plea for his felony threats of violence charge, but the fifth-degree drug possession was dismissed. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2021. Malik’s attorneys Steven Haney and Ryan Pacyga reportedly told The Athletic, “Any potential jail, or home confinement, will not exceed 120 days and will be served at end of 2020-21 season.”

Any potential jail, or home confinement, will not exceed 120 days and will be served at end of 2020-21 season, his attorneys Steven Haney and Ryan Pacyga say. Upon successful completion of probation, the threat of violence charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor. https://t.co/w8E7VhPnC9

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 21, 2020