Subscribe
Follow Us
Michael Beasley, the versatile, bucket-getting forward who played in the NBA for 11 seasons after he was drafted second overall in the 2008 NBA Draft, has to be one of the most polarizing figures in the sport. On the one hand, his peers have so much respect for him, calling him an unstoppable offensive force. But he wasn't able to put it together when he was in the league, peaking as a third-year player before plateauing as a bench piece.
Now, Beasley appears to have found his niche — the one on one space. He and Lance Stephenson memorably went at it on pay-per-view, with Beasley defeating his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate in a heated battle that had a ton of drama in the build-up.
After that success, Beasley appears to have set his sights on a new target, someone he's been comparing himself to for his entire career, in Carmelo Anthony. Beasley called out the Hall of Famer, with Anthony clapping back, saying that he had never lost a one on one game.
Nonetheless, Anthony has nothing but respect for what Beasley is doing in the one on one space and commends him for the job he's been doing exploring this side of the sport.
“He really wanna play. He love to play and he love the game. And I think now, you start to see him get thar attention and the respect that he deserves,” Anthony said on the latest episode of his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment. “I think now having the opportunity, get back out there on the court, showcase to a newer generation a newer game when it come to 1v1, he is that guy.”
“I would put my own money up on Beas against people … Beas is one of the most talented players to ever play our game.”
"I would put my own money up on Beas against people … Beas is one of the most talented players to ever play our game."
Melo appreciates the impact of what Michael Beasley is building in the 1v1 space 💯 pic.twitter.com/ZrgRgBvAp0
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) July 22, 2025
Michael Beasley, a cautionary tale of missed potential
It's clear that Beasley has the talent to put the ball through the basket. And at 6'9″, 235 lbs., he was a walking mismatch, able to face up and get his buckets from the perimeter as well as back down against weaker and smaller opponents to try and bully them on the interior.
Alas, Beasley simply did not land in a situation where he had the coaching and the veteran help to get him to his full potential. Lasting over a decade in the NBA is no joke, but he could have achieved bigger and better things in the NBA had he locked in earlier in his career. But at the very least, he's flourishing in his own space nowadays.
