Gabrielle Union Hops on Michael Beasley Hype Train After Resurfaced Pre-Match Claims Go Viral

While the NBA doesn’t officially host one-on-one matchups, fans never stop debating who’s king of isolation play. The league may prioritize team systems, but the streets? They celebrate individuality. Players like Kobe, Kyrie, Melo, and Iverson had devastating iso skills, yet full showcases were rare. That’s why summer runs like the Drew League, Rico Hines, and private workouts gain so much traction. Another big name when it comes to one-on-one duels is Michael Beasley. He’s built for those. Even if he didn’t become a franchise face, his one-on-one legend grew in gyms, not arenas.

Kevin Durant has always shown major love for Beasley’s game. After a Warriors win in 2017, KD said, “I love Beas. I love his family. I love what he’s doing. He never had a fair chance.” He even stood by Beasley’s earlier claim, adding, “He can score on anybody. He can use both hands.” Beasley, too, has made bold claims, once admitting, “That’s the only one to beat me – Bam. Ya’ll don’t know how good Bam is.” He added that fans don’t realize how good Bam really is. And recently, the fans finally got a chance to see his skills and the hype in real time! Safe to say, it lived up to Gabrielle Union’s expectations.

If you’ve ever sat around wondering if Michael Beasley really was that guy in practice, wonder no more. The whispers have turned into applause. Thanks to D’Vontay Friga’s The Next Chapter (TNC), hoop fans finally got to see a live-action legend prove his point—and bank $100,000 while doing it, per Bleacher Report. TNC 02’s main event featured Beasley taking on Lance Stephenson in a pay-per-view one-on-one showdown. Even Gabrielle Union took to Instagram to praise the 36-year-old. Two words, “Killa Beas” and it was more than enough for everyone to understand that Union is noticing and appreciating. But what next?

Both Beasley and Stephenson are set to face off again in the Big 3 league, but it’s hard to imagine a rematch living up to this beat down. But what made this event feel like a theater was the build-up before the game. In a faceoff that aired just days prior, Beasley’s words were half-threat, half-performance. “I’m gonna do it to you real, I’m gonna do it to you real nice and slow.” he told Lance. He wasn’t done yet. “I’m gonna make you dance, Lance.” He added, “We’re gonna get straight to it n—a. I’m gonna bring my dancing shoes and then tap all over that court. You understand? You better.” Expect a response. Yes, he had it next.

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When Lance replied that nobody has even been able to do so, it was again Beasley. Quick and brutal: “Hello everybody, nobody at your service.” With that, Beasley turned trash talk into poetry.

The untold truth behind Michael Beasley’s legendary one-on-one battles with Lebron James

Michael Beasley’s offensive skill has often been labeled as one of the greatest by those who played with or against him. While defense wasn’t his strength, his ability to score made him nearly unguardable. Multiple reports have suggested that even LeBron James found it difficult to stop Beasley in one-on-one matchups during their time with the Miami Heat.

During an appearance on “The OGs Show,” when asked about this story, Beasley responded cautiously: “Whoever the reporter was told that story…, let me see how I want to say this; it’s some truth to the essence of that story. Me and ‘Bron ain’t play one on one in front of people.” This confirms their battles took place privately, away from public view. Now the question was: who dominated the court in the private battles?

Beasley was the Heat’s No. 2 overall pick in 2002 and rejoined Miami for the 2013-14 season. He revealed that he was “on James’ a– every day in practice,” using his size and athleticism to challenge LeBron consistently during scrimmages. And being 6’9” and 235 pounds, Beasley had the physical tools to match up with the Lakers’ legend.

One notable moment happened when LeBron, tired from back-to-back games, insisted that Mario Chalmers guard him instead of Beasley. Beasley recalled, “He just yelled out like ‘Mario Chalmers is guarding me today.’ He looked me dead my face, and I got in my defensive stand, and he looked at me. ‘Mario Chalmers is guarding me today.’” This shows how intense their practice battles were.

Michael Beasley

Despite reports like ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh claiming Beasley often beat LeBron in practice, Beasley clarified that the story was misreported. Whether Beasley consistently beat LeBron or not may never be fully verified. What’s certain is that the respect from his peers was real, and so was the challenge he posed.

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