LeBron James Once Lost to $100K 1v1 Winner Michael Beasley

Former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley and LeBron James played together on the Miami Heat as well as the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James Once Lost to $100K 1v1 Winner Michael Beasley

Michael Beasley beat LeBron James in a 1v1 battle (Image via FirstSportz)

LeBron James has had a basketball career that is second to none. 22 seasons of elite performances night in and night out have made him one of the top 2 players of all time. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar has used his intelligence, skill, athleticism, and conditioning to be at the top.

He still continues to wow fans at age 40 and has been a shining example of how an athlete can take care of his or her body, which can help them prolong their careers. He might not jump as high as he could, or display the agility that was once part of his repertoire.

Despite the slight decline, he again garnered another All-NBA selection, the most ever in NBA history. Nowadays, he has a different approach to the game than when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Miami Heat.

In those days, James was a surreal athletic demon who could go up against anyone. But even then, there were a few against whom he could not survive in a game of 1v1. Former Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers teammate Michael Beasley is one, as he revealed when streamer Adin Ross asked him about it.

Yeah. I mean, the story is told wrong.

Michael Beasley replied

When streamer N3on asked him what the final score was, Beasley replied that it was 11-9. The two streamers were shocked that the former 2nd overall pick managed to beat LeBron James in a straight battle.

Carmelo Anthony revealed LeBron James is not built for 1v1

The debate about LeBron James‘ 1v1 skills has been running through chat rooms all across the basketball spectrum. While many suggest that he would not hold a candle to the likes of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, future Hall of Famer and close friend Carmelo Anthony clarified why James would not succeed.

Michael Beasley and LeBron James as Miami Heat teammates
Michael Beasley and LeBron James as Miami Heat teammates (Image via Open Source/X)

Yeah, they both in the league. I get that. They just not 1-on-1 guys. So, the game probably never happened because LeBron don’t play 1-on-1.

Carmelo Anthony said

He answered this when his son, Kiyan Anthony, asked him if they would be able to beat the combination of LeBron James and his son, Bronny. The 10-time All-Star believes his fellow draft classmate is not built for 1v1 basketball despite all his exemplary accolades.

That explains why Michael Beasley could beat him. It has been 6 years since the former Miami Heat star left the NBA, but he still could beat former Lakers teammate Lance Stephenson in a 1v1 basketball game, winning $100k.

Kyrie Irving too did not want to mess with Michael Beasley

After Michael Beasley won the 1v1 game, he has established himself as an elite player in that form. He might not have succeeded in the 5v5 game in the NBA, but as a 1v1 player, now there are two instances of him beating the best. So much so that the likes of Kyrie Irving do not want to battle him.

The Dallas Mavericks star was a guest commentator for The Next Chapter’s 1v1 matchup. When Beasley was dueling Lance Stephenson, Irving mentioned that he would not battle against the 6′ 9″ forward. That was unexpected coming from a player who is regarded as one of the best 1v1 players in the NBA.

There are videos of him defeating his former Mavs teammate Luka Doncic and the rest of the roster. Then there are the famous videos of him excelling as Uncle Drew. Often known to possess the deepest bag in the league, the NBA champion suggesting he would not like to battle Beasley could be due to what he saw at the tournament.

Crossing over players in a 5v5 game is one thing, and battling possession after possession against a highly skilled and taller player in Beasley is another. As the Unrivaled league’s 1v1 matchups proved, that format needs a player to grind through. For a shorter player such as Irving, it might not be easy.

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