Utah State has all-encompassing student-athlete in Justin Bean
LOGAN, Utah — The combined term student-athlete is often a misleading one whereby it is assumed that there is an equal share of commitment regarding the two opposite responsibilities. History would support that claim as, more often than not, the individual would devote their energy to either the academic side or the sports side. But there is a sliver of people who manage to excel in both. Utah State Aggies star, Justin Bean, happens to be a member of that rare club.
The 6-foot-7 forward is in his senior year and has already received academic and athletic honors for his performances as a junior. In the 2020-21 season, he was named to the second-team all-Mountain West and to the Mountain West all-tournament team, while also receiving the prestigious acclaim of being awarded a slot in the Academic All-Mountain West. It’s an award presented to student-athletes who have completed at least one academic term while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and are a starter or significant contributor on their athletic team.
Bean delivered for the Aggies last season. He appeared and started in every game, averaging 27.1 minutes per game. While he might have finished the season averaging 11.4 points per game, he did score in double figures 20 times and even posted a season-high 21 points in two games. Not only was he scoring, but he was doing so efficiently. Bean had a 51.8 field-goal percentage and an 82.9 free-throw percentage. Those effective numbers certainly indicate that the coaching staff trusted Bean to shoot whenever he has an open opportunity. But the complete student-athlete delivers more than just points.
He’s also a ferocious rebounder. Bean pulled down 10 or more rebounds in 11 games and logged a season-high 13 rebounds in three games. He finished the 2020-21 season second on the team with 224 total rebounds, averaging 7.7 per game. Additionally, Justin Bean led the Aggies with 38 steals and nine blocks. His defensive prowess is a clear indicator that he cares about all aspects of the sport. When he performs, he wants to give it his all and deliver the best results.
It’s a philosophy that he carries proudly as someone who has a cumulative GPA that is 3.0 or better from 2019 to 2021. And his improvements are also visible on the court. This season, Bean leads the team in scoring and he’s shooting the ball at 61.5 % from the field. He’s an individual who has a desire to enhance and better himself whether it’s on the court or in the classroom. He merits to be commended for his accomplishments and his overall demeanor. There is no better example of the model student-athlete definition today than Bean.
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